KZ107
Semey Ormany (Semipalatinsk Forest)


Country/territory: Kazakhstan

IBA criteria met: A1 (2007)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here

Area: 662,167 hectares (6,621.67 km2)

Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan
IBA conservation status
Year of assessment (most recent) State (condition) Pressure (threat) Response (action)
2017 moderate high high
For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here


Site description (2007 baseline)
The site is situated at the northern margin of the Eastern Kazakhstan region, on the right bank of the Irtysh river, between the outskirts of the regional centre of Semipalatinsk extending south-easttowards the Russian border. The Semei Ormany forest consists of an extensive assemblage of pine forest belts and insular stands with an admixture of birch and aspen on the forest edges. The majority of the forest is on sandy soils. A feature of the area is the array of scattered waterbodies. The woodland contains many areas previously ravaged by fires of varying severity.

Key biodiversity
The avifauna is typical of large pine forests with low numbers of individual species. During surveys in 2005-2006, 101 species were recorded, of which nine are national conservation concern and four of international concern. Typical species include Parus montanus, Dendrocopus major, Buteo buteo, Streptopelia turtur and Lyrurus tetrix.

Non-bird biodiversity: The majority of the forest consists of pines separated by glades and larger areas of steppe with abundant scrub and taller bushes. The edges of the large pine stands, as well as the the forest close to the Irtysh river flood valley, frequently incorporate stands of Willow, Poplar and various bushes including Bird cherry.


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Semey Ormany (Semipalatinsk Forest) (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/semey-ormany-(semipalatinsk-forest)-iba-kazakhstan on 25/12/2024.