Weerribben

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Weerribben

  • Country: 
    Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
  • Site number: 
    193
  • Area: 
    3,325 ha
  • Designation date: 
    23-05-1980
  • Coordinates: 
    52°47'N 05°56'E
Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Overview

The Site is a low-lying peatland formed by bogs, marshland, reedbeds, wet meadows, pools, channels, heathland and woodland. Areas in all the stages of succession from open water to swamp forest are found, providing important habitat for notable species of plants, fish and butterflies. Weerribben is the only Site in the world with a viable population of the endemic large copper butterfly subspecies Lycaena dispar batavia. It is an important breeding area for numerous species of nationally endangered waterbirds including Eurasian bittern (Botaurus stellaris), purple heron (Ardea purpurea) and black tern (Chlidonias niger). The European otter (Lutra lutra) has been reintroduced, and since 2002 healthy and expanding populations have developed. Peat was excavated until around 1920, after which the local community gradually switched to reed-cutting, for which about 1,200 hectares are preserved. Other human activities include farming, commercial fisheries and recreational activities such as angling. In 2014 the boundary was adjusted to that of the Natura 2000 site, resulting in the addition of an area of 790 hectares. Threats include drainage, eutrophication, pollution and animal disturbance caused by recreational activities. There is a visitors’ centre, and biodiversity monitoring activities are carried out by the Dutch Bird Research Organisation.

Administrative region: 
Overijssel

  • National legal designation: 
    • National Ecological Network (NEN) - Weerribben
    • National Park - Weerribben-Wieden
  • Regional (international) legal designations: 
    • EU Natura 2000
  • Last publication date: 
    02-11-2022

Downloads

Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)

Additional reports and documents