Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A highly fragmented forest in the Wis³a valley, between the Bzura and Wis³a (Vistula) rivers. Coniferous and mixed forests cover banks of sand-dunes along the river terrace, below which lies the marshy valley floor, with watercourses flowing to the Bzura river. Marshy areas are covered with reedbeds
Phragmites, sedge-beds, meadows, and riverine forest and scrub. Marshy areas higher up the terrace are covered by broadleaved deciduous forest. Former agricultural land, now abandoned (including whole villages), is situated mainly in the centre of the marshy zone, and is reverting to forest, aided by active afforestion.
The site is very important for breeding
Crex crex. A total of 133 species have been confirmed breeding. In recent years (1980-1996) 5-7 species stopped breeding compared with the 1950-1979 period. Over the last quarter-century there have been 13 breeding species of raptor and seven non-breeding visitors or winterers. Three raptors (
Falco peregrinus,
Milvus migrans and
Circus cyaneus) stopped breeding in the 1970s, one (
Circaetus gallicus) in the 1980s, and
Aquila pomarina is decreasing. Non-raptors which have stopped breeding in recent years at the site include
Tetrao tetrix,
Burhinus oedicnemus,
Coracias garrulus and
Lanius minor.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The purchase of arable land by the National Park and the subsequent abandonment of agricultural management (reversion to forest) has reduced the abundance of wildlife of open, non-forest habitats. The water-level fell by c.2 m over the past few decades as a result of drainage and lower-than-average precipitation. Since 1997 the average water-level has risen somewhat as a result of very high rainfall in summer.
National High
International None35,700 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Kampinoski, 35,700 ha). 4,722 ha of IBA covered by 24 Nature Reserves (Biela; Cyganka; Czapliniec De³by; Czarna Woda im. prof. Aleksandra Kaliszki; Czerwiñskie Góry I á II; Granica; Kalisko; Karpaty; Krzywa Góra; £u¿e; Nart im. in¿. Stanis³awa Richtera; Niepust; Po¿ary; Przyæmieñ; Roztoka; Rybitew; Sieraków im. prof. Romana Kobendzy; Tuszko; Wilków; Zaborów Leœny; Zamczysko; ¯urawiowe; together totalling 4,722 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kampinos forest (Poland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kampinos-forest-iba-poland on 23/11/2024.
