Waraz (S25) - Nature Iraq

Waraz (S25) &
&Kuradawe (S27)
Surveyed in the summer of 2009
Admin Area: Sulaimani
Coordinates: N 35º 50’ 27” E 45º 29’ 58”
Area: 15,856 ha
IBA Criteria: A1
IPA Criteria: Under assessment
Status: Unprotected
Ecoregion: Zagros Mountains
Mountain Forest
Altitude: 1240 m
Steppe (PA0446)
Directional information: This site is located approximately 33 km to the northeast of the city of
Sulaimani.
Waraz Valley facing southeast (Photo by Saman A. Rahman, 2009)
Kuradawe in summer (Photo by Korsh Ararat, 2009)
Waraz is a valley surrounded by mountains and villages, including Kanarwe,
Site Description:Waraz
Ballikhy, and Betwate. To the south Kanarwe River flows from the Penjween Area towards Kuna
Masi River (also called Chami Chwarta River), both tributaries of the Lesser Zab. The site
sit is one of
the most important serpentine areas in Kurdistan. Most of the valley is dominated by Platanus orientalis
and walnut trees Juglans regia but aagricultural fields cover parts of the valley and there is also gravel
mining along the Kuna Masi stream that affects the area in and around the stream. The area is also
used as a picnic site.
Further northwest is the forested mountainous area known as Kuradawe (named for the largest
village in the area).Kuna
Kuna Masi stream flows north along its western side and another
nother stream flows in
from the west and joins itatthe village of Amaden
Amaden. The area is surrounded by the villages
illages of Amaden,
Dashty Tile and Pirahmad, Bewre, Gomle, Basne
Basne,and Saraw and extends less than 1 km north of
Kuradawe Village. There are farmlands
armlands, orchards, and vineyards, which mainly produce grapes,
grapes
walnuts, pears and almonds.
Sub_Site Code
Sub_Site Name
Nearest Town
S27
S25
Kuradawe
Waraz
Basneh
Chwarta
IBA Code
Important Bird Area Criteria Observations made in2009
A1. Globally threatened species
Breeding
Egyptian Vulture
1 pair
Neophron percnopterus
(Summer visitor)
Coordinates
North
East
35 50 27 45 29 58
35 47 30 45 30 51
Wintering/Passage
Additional Important Bird Observations: A total of 40 species was seen. Breeding populations of
four Irano-Turanian, three Mediterranean, one Eurasian High-Montane and one Sahara-Sindian
Desert biome-restricted species were found but did not trigger inclusion under criterion A3.
Other Fauna
Mammals, Reptiles, and other Fauna: Data were not colleected.
Plants& Habitats: The site contains 100 plant species.Two habitat types were examined:
1. Mountain Forest Vegetation- Mountain Riverine Forest (waypoint N 35° 49’ 41” E 45°28’
46”), which is characterized by Juglans regia, Platanum orientalis and Morus sp. (tree), Rubus
sanctus (shrub), and Papaver somniferum, Viola odorata, Mentha longifoliaand Parentucellia
villos(herbs).
2. MountainForest Vegetation- Oak Forest lowest and medium zone (waypoint N 35º 50’ 26”
E 45º 29’ 58”), which is characterized by Quercus aegilops andQ. Infectoria (trees), Pyrus syriaca,
Prunus amygdalus and P. orientalis (shrubs), Papaver somniferum and Galium sp.(herbs), as well as
some associated plants such as Anemone coronaria, Silene odontopetala, Aethionema arabicum, Cnicus
benedictus var. kotschyi, Sedum sp.and Papavera rhoeas.
The ecological condition was between moderately disturbed and very disturbed, an ecological scale
of three to four. The slope was between moderate (6-14°) and somewhat steep (15-26°). The site is
located in the Zagros mountain range, where the geology is a basic igneous rock, radiolarian cherts,
siliceous and calcareous shales, and metamorphic schists and limestones of unknown age, and the
soil type is often serpentine. The non-vegetated area covered 15%.
Conservation Issues: The main threats considered very highwere agriculture (livestock
production/grazing/farming) and human intrusion (picnicking near Kuradawe village), which in turn
causes pollution, particularly garbage dumped in and around the stream.Gravel mines are impairing
the stream and the land around it, and were considered a high threat. Road construction and
residential development are underway (especially close to the village), which were judged as medium
threats (as was hunting) but may become more urgent if not controlled properly.
Recommendations: The key recommendation is to increase environmental awareness among local
populations and visitors and to further study and regulate agricultural and grazing. Regulations could
include limiting the extent of these activities and/or controlling/mitigating their impacts, and may
also necessitate further examination of the use of agricultural chemicals.