Boronka-melléki Tájvédelmi Körzet

The Boronka-melléki Landscape Protection Area is under the management of the Danube–Drava National Park Directorate. The area of the landscape protection area is 7,546 hectares, of which 965 hectares are strictly protected.

Location

The landscape protection area is located in the western part of the Great Landscape of the Transdanubian Hills, in the Inner Somogy central plain. It can be approached along the main roads 68 and 61. Larger settlements nearby are Marcali, Mesztegnyő, Somogyfajsz, Böhönye and Nagybajom.

Characteristics

After the First World War, the Hunyadis created the economic narrow-gauge railway on the site, developed the fish pond system and introduced systematic forest management. The landscape protection area, largely covered by forests, dissected by watercourses and dotted with fish ponds, remained untouched by war, also because the Germans in 1944 installed a threefold minefield on the area, which was continuously neutralized by organized mine-clearing units until 1956. In the forest, former wastelands reappear; Cserfekvés, Virágospuszta, Szőkepuszta, Háromház, Kopárpuszta, Kakpuszta. The mosaic-structured landscape protection area tries to preserve the associations that have survived on the less arable lands for the future. These small areas have remained as refugia (ecological shelters) and collectively showcase those associations, now rare, often relic plant species.

Formation

The Boronka-mellék sand ridge was shaped over millennia by the sediments deposited by rivers flowing through it—most significantly the Danube—which formed small, barely protruding north–south oriented hills, among which smaller and larger watercourses still run today (most notably the Boronka and Aranyos streams). The streams widen and narrow between the hills, creating ponds, swamp layers, marshy areas, and alder carrs in non-draining zones. The area's water reserves are further increased by the backflooding of the Boronka stream, which has created several fish ponds.

Flora and Fauna

In the protected landscape area, from the marshes to the dry sandy meadows, the most diverse plant associations are represented. This can be explained by the characteristic water management conditions of the sandy soils. In stagnant water depressions there are reed beds, willow and alder marshes. In contrast, the areas with flowing water are accompanied by alder thickets, and in places by oak‑ash‑hornbeam forests. On soils with good water management, hornbeam‑oak woods extend, some of which are interspersed with island‑like beech stands. The highest, driest sites are covered by cherry‑oak woods, while on their clearings secondary dry sandy meadows – primarily pastures – have developed. The most characteristic landscape elements of the protected area are the chain of fish ponds created by damming watercourses, which are bordered by fresh forests. So far, nearly 50 protected plant species have been recorded in the area. Among them the most noteworthy in the standing‑water algae flora are the marsh lily and the white fairy rose. In the understory of alder marshes, spring water crowfoot is locally abundant; in the fresh hornbeam‑oak woods and the planted forest coniferous stands, the marsh fern and the ornamental wood fern occur; on the edges of the swamp reed beds the yellow water lily appears; in the cherry oak woods the cock’s comb appears.

The wet environment provides the conditions for numerous amphibians and reptiles. Among the amphibians, 12 species can be observed in the area, including the nocturnal brown toad and the long-legged marsh frog whose males turn blue during the breeding season. The spotted newt is common in shallower waters, but also lives in ponds in spring. Among the reptiles, the marsh turtle is typical, inhabiting the region's standing waters and marshes, and the agile lizard, whose red-backed variant also lives in the area. Among the snakes, the grass snake is generally widespread, while the smooth snake occurs less frequently. Among the birds, the breeding populations of the meadow pipit and the black stork are of outstanding significance. The common population is formed by the reed bunting, while the highly protected corncrake and the little grebe remain only in wetter years during the nesting period. In recent decades the golden oriole has appeared and forms a permanent breeding population. Here lives perhaps the most viable otter population of Transdanubia.

External links

Website of the Danube–Drava National Park

Website of the Danube–Drava National Park – description of the Boronka-melléki Protected Landscape Area

Website of the Danube–Drava National Park – description of the Boronka-melléki Protected Landscape Area (archived version)

The Boronka-melléki Protected Landscape Area on Vendégváró