9 Sites: KBAs & IBAs

REMINDER: While the Toolkit helps users identify the steps required to ultimately get a site formally conserved, a core component of the toolkit is the technical component. The technical component helps users analyse complex data and ultimately develop the information required to propose a site to the relevant authority.

In the toolkit, we recognise a spectrum of sites. However, we advocate for, and support the identification of, Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs); sites contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity.

KBAs are a unified global currency helping to identify the most important sites for nature. The KBA initiative builds off four decades of BirdLife’s experience in identifying and promoting the conservation of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). IBAs are BirdLife’s contribution to KBAs. BirdLife is a KBA Partner and provides strong support to the KBA Programme. Both KBAs and IBAs are underpinned by high scientific standards and are based on objective data and criteria; they can therefore help inform decision-making at all levels.

Key message for users of the toolkit: KBAs are the leading mechanism through which the Toolkit promotes and supports identification of important sites. However, the tools outlined in this Toolkit will also help users identify sites which can be assessed against IBA criteria (likely other criteria too). Where circumstance dictates, users should contact the relevant BirdLife authority to discuss the identification and monitoring of IBAs.

9.1 Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs)

Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are sites contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity.

Sites can be significant for a single species, assemblages of species, ecosystems, sites of outstanding ecological integrity, or sites with high irreplaceability.

KBAs are identified based on 11 quantitative criteria. Use of global quantitative criteria enables comparisons to be made between sites anywhere in the world.

For a site to qualify as a KBA, it must hold a significant proportion of the biodiversity element, where the threshold required is also dependent on the IUCN Red List Conservation Status of a species or ecosystem.

The KBA website provides details about:

  • KBA Criteria: Global Standard for the Identification of Key Biodiversity Areas.

  • KBA Guidelines: They explain the key terms, how to measure the criteria using different assessment parameters and how to delineate KBAs

  • KBA Proposal and update process: How to actually propose or reassess a site as a KBA

Additional resources on the KBA website include:

  • Links to online training courses

  • Guides about monitoring KBAs

  • Guides about appealing a specific KBA

9.1.1 KBA site definition

As per the KBA Standards, a site is defined as:

KBA Site: A geographical area on land and/or in water with defined ecological, physical, administrative or management boundaries that is actually or potentially manageable as a single unit (e.g. a protected area or other managed conservation unit). For this reason, large-scale biogeographic regions such as ecoregions, Endemic Bird Areas and Biodiversity Hotspots, and land-/seascapes containing multiple management units, are not considered to be sites. In the context of KBAs, “site” and “area” are used interchangeably.

9.2 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs)

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) are BirdLife’s contribution to KBAs.

IBAs are sites of conservation importance for bird populations.

Two key papers summarise IBAs with regards to:

  • IBA impact on conservation policy, advocacy and action: Waliczky et al. (2019)

  • IBA development and characteristics of sites: Donald et al. (2019)

9.2.1 IBA site definition

From (Donald et al. (2019)): As far as possible, IBA boundaries are identified such that:

    1. the area inside the boundary is different in character, habitat or ornithological importance from surrounding areas;
    1. the IBA exists as a discrete manageable unit, such as a protected area, with or without buffer zones, and
    1. the site is an area that provides the requirements of the trigger species (i.e. those for which the site qualifies) while present, alone or in combination with networks of other sites.

In many cases, delineation is straightforward, often dictated by obvious habitat boundaries or guided by existing protected area boundaries, land ownership or management boundaries.

There is no set maximum or minimum size for an IBA, although the condition that the site forms a single manageable unit places a constraint on the maximum sensible area.