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close| Location | Greece, East Macedonia and Thrace |
| Central coordinates | 24o 43.00' East 41o 8.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, B2, C1, C6 |
| Area | 14,500 ha |
| Altitude | 10 - 1,268m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information This is an important site for breeding, passage and wintering raptors. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Haliaeetus albicilla (wintering), Aegypius monachus (passage), Aquila clanga (wintering), Aquila heliaca (wintering), Falco naumanni (passage), Gallinago media (passage).
Site description The site has a large gorge with steep rocky slopes. Forest occupies the bottom of the gorge whilst the surrounding mountain slopes are covered with a mixture of forest and maquis. Human activities include agriculture, mining, tourism and hunting.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus | winter | - | 60 individuals | - | A1, C1 | Least Concern |
| Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus | breeding | 1996 | 16 breeding pairs | - | C6 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo | breeding | - | 2-3 breeding pairs | - | B2, C6 | Least Concern |
| European Bee-eater Merops apiaster | breeding | - | 50-100 breeding pairs | - | B2 | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AISTHITIKO DASOS NESTOU - GR1120005 | Habitats Directive | 2,336 | protected area contained by site | 2,336 | |
| STENA NESTOU - GR1120004 | Birds Directive | 8,753 | protected area contained by site | 8,753 | |
| Stena Nestou Kavalas - Xanthis | Aesthetic Forest | 2,286 | protected area contained by site | 2,380 |
|
| Stena Nestou/Kehrokambos | Wildlife Refuge | 1,125 | protected area overlaps with site | 1,125 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Broadleaved deciduous woodland | 40% |
| Shrubland | Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis | 45% |
| Wetlands (inland) | Rivers and streams | 5% |
| Rocky areas | Inland cliffs | 5% |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Arable land | 5% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 45% |
| fisheries/aquaculture | 5% |
| forestry | 35% |
| nature conservation and research | 20% |
| tourism/recreation | 5% |
| urban/industrial/transport | 5% |
| water management | 5% |
Management considerations The main threats include the expansion of marble quarries, road building, hunting and uncontrolled tourism development. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.
Protection status National Partial International Partial2,380 ha of IBA covered by Aesthetic Forest (Stena Nestou, 2,380 ha). 1,125 ha of IBA covered by Wildlife Refuge (Stena Nestou/Kehrokambos, 1,125 ha). 3,000 ha of IBA covered by Wildlife Refuge (Stena Nestou/Stavroupolis, 3,000 ha). 2,336 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Stena Nestou, 2,336 ha).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Nestos gorge. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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