Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
The forest is divided into two parts by the Augustów channel, through which the Wo³kuszanka river flows into the Niemen river. The northern part is situated on the Augustów plain in the catchment of the Czarna Hañcza and the Marycha rivers (tributaries of the Niemen). The southern part lies along the border between the Augustów plain and the Biebrza valley. The forest is predominantly coniferous (spruce
Picea and pine
Pinus), including moist and swampy areas, although large areas are also covered with alder
Alnus and in some places there is well preserved dry-ground forest of lime
Tilia and hornbeam
Carpinus. Many of the forest stands have a natural character. There are several dozen lakes, the largest being Wigry lake (2,187 ha, 73 m in depth). Open areas are occupied by hay meadows and pastures. The National Park in the north-west of the site is used for recreation.
Over 200 species have been recorded, c.150 breeding. Breeding species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria:
Haliaeetus albicilla (1-2 pairs),
Crex crex (rare),
Gallinago media.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Afforestation with beech
Fagus (outside its natural range) poses a threat to
Tetrao urogallus (its preferred habitat is conifers).
National Partial
International None15,113 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Wigierski, 15,113 ha). 761 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Kalejty, 761 ha). 314 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Kukle, 314 ha). 386 ha of IBA covered by 10 Nature Reserves (Jezioro Bia³e; Jezioro D³ugie; Kamionka; Maniówka; Ostoja Bobrów Stary Folwark; Suchar Wielki; Suche bagno; W¹do³ek; Wiatro³u¿a I á II; total area 386 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Augustów forest (Poland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/augustów-forest-iba-poland on 22/11/2024.
