Velence and Dinnyés Nature Conservation Area

The Dinnyés-fertő Nature Conservation Area is the southern part of the internationally significant wild waters listed under the names Dinnyés and Velence (so‑called Ramsar site) and forms a valuable aquatic habitat between the Gárdony district of Dinnyés and the large village of Seregélyes.

Description

Its extent is 529 hectares, which were declared protected in 1966.

The area is separated from Lake Velence by the main road 7 and road 6213, as well as the Budapest–Murakeresztúr railway line. Before the construction of the main road and the railway, this marshy area belonged to Lake Velence; currently the two areas are connected only by the Dinnyés–Kajtori canal that provides the lake’s outflow. From the west the nature reserve is bounded by main road 62, from the east by road 6213, and from the south by the Székesfehérvár–Pusztaszabolcs railway line. Its western part largely belongs to the administrative area of Székesfehérvár, while the remaining area is shared by three settlements (from south to north: Seregélyes, Gárdony (Dinnyés) and Pákozd).

Both marshy and open‑water parts can be found in the area. The Dinnyés-fertő is a reed‑ and cattail‑covered area surrounded by saline meadows and reed beds. A large number of protected orchids live in the area, such as the flesh‑colored lady’s‑slipper, the spotted orchid, the early‑purple orchid and the early marsh orchid.

Among the fish, the meadow strip is important from a nature‑conservation point of view.

In 1979 the fungi of the area began to be studied; at that time several mushroom species previously unknown in Hungary were found, including the reed snake mushroom.