Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information This is an important site for wintering and migrating waterfowl. The area is also nationally important for migrating Botaurus stellaris, Ixobrychus minutus and Porzana porzana, and breeding Alcedo atthis.

Site description The area includes long sections of the Schelde and Durme rivers, with very rare freshwater tidal river marshes as well as mudflats, marshes, reedbeds, oxbows and wet meadows.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
As State	Nature Reserve	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Brede Schoren	Nature Reserve	4	protected area contained by site	4
Daknamse kreken	Nature Reserve	12	protected area contained by site	12
De Cramp	Certified Nature Reserve	8	protected area contained by site	8
De Cramp	Nature Reserve	8	protected area overlaps with site	8
De Notelaer	Nature Reserve	28	protected area contained by site	28
Durme en Middenloop van de Schelde - BE2301235	Birds Directive	4,190	is identical to site	4,169
Grauwe Plaat	Nature Reserve	1	protected area contained by site	1
Groot Schoor van Grembergen	Nature Reserve	8	protected area overlaps with site	8
Het Molsbroek	Nature Reserve	75	protected area contained by site	75
Kalkense Meersen	Nature Reserve	34	protected area contained by site	34
Kijkverdriet	Nature Reserve	5	protected area contained by site	5
Konkelschoor	Nature Reserve	2	protected area contained by site	2
Rietsnijderij	Nature Reserve	3	protected area contained by site	3
Schelde- en Durmeêstuarium van de Nederlandse grens tot Gent - BE2300006	Habitats Directive	8,957	protected area overlaps with site	5,510
Schor aan de Durmemonding	Nature Reserve	6	protected area contained by site	6
Schorren bij Zele	Nature Reserve	12	protected area contained by site	12
Schorren van Branst	Nature Reserve	20	protected area contained by site	20
Schorren van de Durme	Regional Nature Reserve (Flemish Region)	24	protected area contained by site	23
Sint - Amandsschoor	Certified Nature Reserve	5	protected area contained by site	6
Sint-Onolfsschor	Nature Reserve	5	protected area contained by site	5
Stort bij Weert	State Nature Reserve	17	protected area contained by site	17
Vlassenbroekse schorren	Nature Reserve	17	protected area contained by site	17

Habitats

Land use

Management considerations The area is included within a project which is preparing an ecological model of the River Schelde estuary, and thus receives detailed study. About 1,560 ha is designated as a green area on the physical planning map. The whole estuarine area is currently subject to designation as a State Nature Reserve, which will highly improve its conservation. 3,800 ha of IBA covered by proposed Site of Community Importance (Schelde-en Durme-estuarium van NL grens tot Gent, 4,139 ha).

Protection status National Partial International HighThe IBA is covered by several Nature Reserves; Brede Schoren, 4 ha; `As State, Daknamse kreken', 12 ha; De Cramp, 8 ha; De Notelaer, 28 ha; Grauwe Plaat, 1 ha; Groot Schoor van Grembergen, 8 ha; Het Molsbroek, 75 ha; Kalkense Meersen, 34 ha; Kijkverdriet, 5 ha; Konkelschoor, 2 ha; Rietsnijderij, 3 ha; Schor aan de Durmemonding, 6 ha; Schorren bij Zele, 12 ha; Schorren van Branst, 20 ha; Sint-Amandsschoor, 6 ha; Sint-Onolfsschor, 5 ha; Vlassenbroekse schorren, 17 ha. 17 ha of IBA covered by State Nature Reserve (Stort bij Weert, 17 ha). 23 ha of IBA covered by State Nature Reserve (Schorren van de Durme, 23 ha). 7,923 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Durme en de middenloop van de Schelde, 7,923 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Durme en Middenloop van de Schelde. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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