Slowinska Site (920)
Poland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Ostoja Slowinska
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.6667, Longitude: 17.2500
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 115
Area of KBA (km2): 486.98684
Protected area coverage (%): 50.63
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site protects a coastal landscape containing one of the largest areas of mobile sand-dunes in Europe (up to 40 m high), and three brackish coastal lakes, the largest being £ebsko (7,140 ha, 5-6 m deep) and the second largest Gardno (2,468 ha, 2-6 m deep). The lakes are surrounded by wet meadows, pastures, and forests of alder Alnus and oak Quercus, and are bordered by extensive beds of reed Phragmites and reed-mace Typha. The £upawa and £eba rivers flow in to the lakes. Some hollows between dunes are covered by pioneer plant communities and by wet heathland in various stages of development.
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: Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Haliaeetus albicilla (4 pairs), Crex crex (10-15 pairs). Other notable breeding species are Bubo bubo (4 pairs) and Circus pygargus (7-10 pairs).
Delineation rationale: 2004: site area expanded from 18.247 ha to 19,500 ha.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (25%) | forestry (10%) | nature conservation and research (48%) | tourism/recreation (17%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 7 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 59 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 1 | |
| Forest | 27 | |
| Shrubland | 1 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Heavy water-pollution poses a threat, stemming from agriculture, industry, domestic sewage and fisheries. Reduced cattle-grazing has caused a long-term reduction in the number of breeding waders. Drainage of a large area adjacent to the National Park has destroyed extensive areas of wet meadow and bog within the park.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Dams (size unknown) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Only in the future |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Only in the future |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Only in the future | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Only in the future |