Nestos delta and coastal lagoons (992)
Greece, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Delta Nestou kai parakties limnothalasses
Central coordinates: Latitude: 40.9667, Longitude: 24.8000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 223.2731
Protected area coverage (%): 98.06
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site consists of a series of brackish lagoons and arable fields with fragmented patches of freshwater marsh, grassland, saltmarsh and forest. Human activities include agriculture, fishing, forestry and tourism.
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: This is an important site for breeding, passage and wintering waterbirds, raptors and passerines associated with reedbeds. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Branta ruficollis (wintering), Haliaeetus albicilla (5 resident individuals), Aquila heliaca (wintering), Gallinago media (25 wintering individuals), Larus audouinii (passage).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (20%) | fisheries/aquaculture (30%) | forestry (10%) | tourism/recreation (5%) | water management (50%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 20 | |
| Forest | 10 | |
| Marine Neritic | 7 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 27 | |
| Grassland | 10 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 27 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats are from the intensification of agriculture, the construction of hydroelectric dams upriver of the IBA, overgrazing and hunting. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.