Lázbérci Protected Landscape Area

The area of the Lázbérci Protected Landscape Area is 3 634 hectares, of which 683 hectares are strictly protected. The protected landscape area falls under the administration of the Bükk National Park Directorate.

Location

The protected landscape area is located in the Uppony Mountains. The boundaries of the following settlements belong to this area: Borsodbóta, Uppony, Sáta, Nekézseny, Dédestapolcsány, Sajómercse and Bánhorváti.

Characteristics

The existence of the Lázbérci Protected Landscape Area is primarily due to the reservoir located in the area. The Uppony Gorge, the water surface of the Lázbérci reservoir and the surrounding shoreline strip are highly protected, as preserving the purity of drinking water is a serious water protection task. The artificial lake, created between 1967 and 1969 and capable of holding 6.2 million cubic meters of water, plays an extremely important role in the lives of the two towns in the Sajó valley (Ózd and Kazincbarcika), each with about 40–40 thousand inhabitants, as well as numerous surrounding smaller settlements. The lake’s inner protection zone is a 20‑meter‑wide shoreline strip. This strip is surrounded by an additional 100‑meter‑wide outer protection zone, also a strictly protected zone, which is safeguarded from any pollution.

Flora and Fauna

The mountain range is also valuable from a botanical perspective. The area around the Uppony Gorge is covered by shrub forests and rocky meadows, but the mountains are primarily dominated by oak‑beech and beech‑spruce associations. The herbaceous flora includes rare species such as mountain avens, bellflower, seed‑flower, gray sun‑flower, and Transylvanian hare‑tail grass. The area’s highly valuable animal life is largely similar to the rest of the Bükk region. The saker falcon, brown hawk‑owl, Eurasian buzzard, Eurasian eagle‑owl, long‑eared owl and forest tawny owl also nest here. Wildcat, hare and badger live in the forests. To maintain the biological balance of the reservoir, fish stocking is carried out annually. Among the predatory fish, pike, trout and zander are most frequently introduced, while among the herbivorous fish, carp and Amur are most commonly stocked. Fishing is also allowed on the reservoir—under very strict water protection regulations.

The semi-dry meadows of mountain origin with an incredible richness of flowers provide habitat for numerous protected insect species. In these areas the protected northern brown argus, the brown hairstreak and the Oziris dwarf blue are common. In the stream valleys the eastern pearl-bordered fritillary, and on the rocky shrubbery at the edge of the dry rocky meadows the large white‑banded fritillary are characteristic protected butterfly species.

Salamander educational trail (Dédestapolcsány)

The Salamander educational trail starts on the old road at the shore of the Lázbérci reservoir, is about 6 km long, and runs over varied terrain. On the Salamander educational trail located within the Lázbérci Protected Landscape Area one can reach the Uppony Gorge, whose southern wall is several hundred metres high and about 250 million years old. In its cavities traces of prehistoric humans and cave bears have been found. At the top of the rock a 6‑metre‑high cross marks the limit of the spread of the Reformation.

Cultural values

In the settlements located on the border of the protected landscape area there are monuments and artistic values, as well as historical memorials. Near Dédestapolcsány lies the Dédes Castle. Only in the Uppony area can traces of three castles or fortifications be seen. The castle called Földvár by the people is directly visible on the rocky terrace above the Vízköz, in the gorge valley of the Uppony Gorge. On the westernmost spur of the Black‑stone peak (Fekete‑hegy) there is another fortification, Dedevár. The third, the Small Castle, now preserves only its name and soil discolorations, which likely mark a pre‑historical fortification.