Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Summary A mountainous area with mixed and conifer forest, alpine meadows and rocky areas. An important site for alpine species and species associated with subalpine forest. The main threats are from recreational activities.

Ornithological information In den subalpinen Wäldern brüten Grünspecht, Ringdrossel und Zitronengirlitz in grösserer Zahl. Das Gebiet liegt für einige alpine Vogelarten am nördlichen Rand des Verbreitungsgebietes in der Schweiz: So beherbergt der Säntis eine grössere Kolonie von Alpendohlen und Steinadler, Steinhuhn, Alpenbraunelle und Schneesperling brüten im IBA. Das Toggenburg gehört zu den Vorranggebieten beim Schutz der Raufusshühner.

Site description Das IBA «Oberes Toggenburg – Säntis» liegt in den östlichen Voralpen und umfasst den oberen Einzugsbereich der Thur. Die Alpstein-Region mit Säntis (2502 m ü. M.) und Schwägalp bildet den nördlichen Teil des IBAs. Im Süden reicht das Gebiet mit den Churfirsten bis fast an den Walensee. In den tieferen Lagen des IBAs – hauptsächlich im oberen Toggenburg – befinden sich kleinere Ortschaften. Das Land wird auf dieser Stufe mehrheitlich als Weide oder Wiese genutzt und der Wald ist hier vielerorts zurückgedrängt. Der Mischwald in den unteren Lagen (Churfirsten-Südfuss und Rheintal) wird in den oberen vom subalpinen Fichtenwald abgelöst. In diesen Höhenlagen ist die Landschaft abwechslungsreich und Weiden, Wälder, Gräben, kleine Felsen und Moorlandschaften gehen ineinander über. Darüber dominieren alpine Rasen und grössere Felsregionen.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Aelpli/Eggenriet	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	13	protected area contained by site	13
Altschenchopf	Fenlands of National Importance	111	protected area contained by site	111
Altschenchopf	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	1	protected area contained by site	1
Altstofel	Fenlands of National Importance	21	protected area contained by site	21
Altstofel	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	2	protected area contained by site	2
Ampferenboden	Floodplains of National Importance	6	protected area contained by site	6
Älpli / Eggenriet	Fenlands of National Importance	8	protected area contained by site	8
Bilchenriet/Unterwald/Schiltmoos	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	7	protected area contained by site	7
Cholwald Schwaegalp	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	5	protected area contained by site	5
Cholwald Schwägalp	Fenlands of National Importance	20	protected area contained by site	20
Dreihütten / Gamplüt	Fenlands of National Importance	5	protected area contained by site	5
Dreihuetten/Gampluet	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	5	protected area contained by site	5
Engenriet	Fenlands of National Importance	5	protected area contained by site	5
Espel	Fenlands of National Importance	5	protected area contained by site	5
Friessen	Fenlands of National Importance	12	protected area contained by site	12
Friessen	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	3	protected area contained by site	3
Gamperfin	Mire Landscapes of National Importance	282	protected area contained by site	282
Gamperfin/Turbenriet/Tischenriet/Gapels	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	27	protected area contained by site	27
Gräppelen	Fenlands of National Importance	43	protected area contained by site	43
Gräppelen	Mire Landscapes of National Importance	438	protected area contained by site	438
Grossriet/Arvenbueel	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	9	protected area contained by site	9
Gruen / Neuhüttli	Fenlands of National Importance	2	protected area contained by site	2
Gruen/Neuhuettli	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	3	protected area contained by site	3
Helchen	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	2	protected area contained by site	2
Hinterschluchen	Fenlands of National Importance	56	protected area contained by site	56
Hinterschluchen	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	11	protected area contained by site	11
Hirzenbaeder/Sommerweid	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	1	protected area contained by site	1
Hirzenbäder / Sommerweid	Fenlands of National Importance	41	protected area contained by site	41
Loch 1	Fenlands of National Importance	2	protected area contained by site	2
Luetisalp	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	2	protected area contained by site	2
Malunriet	Fenlands of National Importance	16	protected area contained by site	16
Moor noerdlich Heeg	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	1	protected area contained by site	1
Moore auf dem Chraezerenpass	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	13	protected area contained by site	11
Moore im Traemelloch	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	2	protected area contained by site	2
Moore im Trämelloch	Fenlands of National Importance	106	protected area contained by site	106
Munzenriet	Fenlands of National Importance	41	protected area contained by site	41
Munzenriet	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	5	protected area contained by site	5
Oberhag / Müselen / Langriet	Fenlands of National Importance	34	protected area contained by site	34
Palfris	Fenlands of National Importance	45	protected area contained by site	45
Potersalp	Fenlands of National Importance	23	protected area contained by site	30
Potersalp	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	7	protected area contained by site	5
Risipass	Fenlands of National Importance	9	protected area overlaps with site	7
Risiwald	Fenlands of National Importance	5	protected area contained by site	5
Sabrens	Fenlands of National Importance	3	protected area contained by site	3
Salegg / Chaltenbach / Rohr	Fenlands of National Importance	45	protected area contained by site	45
Säntis	Federal Hunting Reserves	3,157	protected area overlaps with site	3,007
Säntisgebiet	Landscapes and Natural Monuments of National Importance	17,939	protected area overlaps with site	15,180
Schattenhalbriet / Zilmüslen	Fenlands of National Importance	59	protected area overlaps with site	58
Schönenboden	Fenlands of National Importance	10	protected area overlaps with site	7
Schoenenboden/Sommerigchopf	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	1	protected area contained by site	1
Schwägalp	Mire Landscapes of National Importance	2,831	protected area contained by site	2,831
Schwendiseen	Fenlands of National Importance	12	protected area contained by site	12
Schwendiseen	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	20	protected area contained by site	20
Speer-Churfirsten-Alvier	Landscapes and Natural Monuments of National Importance	30,294	protected area overlaps with site	20,686
Vorder Höhi	Mire Landscapes of National Importance	794	protected area contained by site	794
Vordere Wartegg	Fenlands of National Importance	4	protected area contained by site	4
Vordere Wartegg	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	2	protected area contained by site	2
Westlich Längenegg	Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance	3	protected area contained by site	3

Habitats

Land use

Management considerations In weiten Bereichen der montanen und alpinen Stufe ist das IBA «Oberes Toggenburg – Säntis» naturnah und vergleichsweise wenig vom Menschen beeinträchtigt. Wildhaus verfügt über ein Skigebiet.

Protection status BLN-Landschaften: Säntisgebiet: grösstenteils im IBA; Speer – Churfirsten – Alvier: teilweise im IBA; Moorlandschaften: Gamperfin: vollständig im IBA; Gräppelen: vollständig im IBA; Schwägalp: vollständig im IBA; Vorder Höhi: vollständig im IBA; Flachmoore: 28 Objekte: 26 ganz im IBA; Hochmoore: 23 Objekte: vollständig im IBA; Auengebiete: Ampferenboden: vollständig im IBA; Jagdbanngebiete: Säntis: vollständig im IBA;

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Upper Toggenburg and Säntis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

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