Coastal area of Eastern Gotland (857)
Sweden, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Gotlands ostkust
Central coordinates: Latitude: 58.3500, Longitude: 18.8000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 32
Area of KBA (km2): 1499.20339
Protected area coverage (%): 12.84
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site comprises four main areas: Faludden (57°00'N 18°22'E˜1,810 ha), Grötlingboholme (57°07'N 18°30'E˜1,050 ha), Lausholmar (57°18'N 18°45'E˜540 ha) and Skenholmen (57°48'N 19°03'E˜700 ha). All four are situated on the eastern coast of Gotland and consist of very low-lying peninsulas and/or islands with a gravel-covered limestone foundation. Essentially treeless and covered mainly by short grassy vegetation used for grazing livestock. Lausholmar is used for military target practice outside of the breeding season.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: Parts of the IBA are rich in breeding species; other areas are important as wintering grounds for Clangula hyemalis. The IBA as a whole supports large numbers of migrating swans and geese, and Grötlingboholme is the most important Baltic moulting ground for Anser anser.
Delineation rationale: Old area: 152500ha Changed due to more accurate information on borders and size. /Robert Ekblom (2007-10-24)
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | military
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 63 | |
| Grassland | 6 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 31 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Oil pollution (`Other' threat) is a regular occurrence (c.500 incidents in the Baltic Sea annually). The entire coastal area was surveyed during 1996 for its breeding birds.