Middle Vistula River Valley (948)
Poland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Dolina Srodkowej Wisly
Central coordinates: Latitude: 52.0500, Longitude: 20.6167
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 50 to 80
Area of KBA (km2): 342.55787
Protected area coverage (%): 99.30
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A large unregulated stretch of the Wis³a (Vistula) river, from Go³¹b village to P³ock town (226 km long), with numerous sand islands. Some islands are bare, others have a herb layer, and high islands have scrub of willow Salix and poplar Populus. There are sand-dunes. The riverbanks and flood terrace are used mainly for intensive collection of willow Salix stems (for planting on riverbanks, dunes, etc., and as material for crafts), and intensive cattle-grazing on meadows and pastures. The river is used by boat traffic.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: An important site for staging migrants such as waders and passerines, and for wintering waterbirds, of which more than 20,000 occur regularly, mainly ducks. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aythya nyroca (two pairs), Crex crex (five pairs).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (15%) | fisheries/aquaculture (30%) | hunting | nature conservation and research (5%) | tourism/recreation (30%) | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 12 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 21 | |
| Other | 9 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 45 | |
| Forest | 13 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Threats are posed by intensive cattle-grazing on the islands, sand-mining of the riverbed, flooding (natural), felling of riverside trees, unsustainable duck hunting, fish poaching, and disturbance to nesting birds by willow collectors. The greatest threats are potential: there are plans for dredging and canalization of the river, to create a narrow channel without islands, oxbow lakes or meanders, as well as plans for the building of water-storage reservoirs at P³ock, Wyszogród, and near Warszawa.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Excess energy | Noise pollution | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | 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 |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Wood & pulp plantations | Small-holder plantations | Only in the future |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Only in the future |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Only in the future |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Subsistence/artisinal aquaculture | Only in the future |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Dams (size unknown) | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Only in the future | |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Shipping lanes | Only in the future | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Flight paths | Only in the future | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Only in the future | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Pollution | Garbage & solid waste | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Temperature extremes | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Storms & flooding | Ongoing |