Bátorliget Marsh and Fen-wood NCA

Some hectars of the most valuable area, near to the village Bátorliget, in four patches have been placed under conservation as a "nature memorial" in 1938, which formed the basis of the Bátorliget Marsh and Fen-wood Nature Protected Area with 53 ha established in 1950.

The protected area mainly lies in the dips between dunes, where the closeness and the emersion of the groundwater table results in a cold microclimate, which has been intensified by the dunes around covered with forests. This phenomena, characteristic in other parts of the Nyírség as well, has ensured that the flora and the fauna of the Hungarian Plain preferring cold climate thousands years ago, could survive the following warmer periods by retreating to these natural cold spots.

1.2. Characteristics of the area 

The flora and the fauna of the area in contrary to its small extension is very rich and diverse. Most of the ancient flora and fauna of the Nyírség can be found here in this enclosed 50 hectares. The Bátorliget is mainly known as a mown marshy meadow coloured by birch-tree groves.

The special plant species of the constantly wet marshes and fens, where grasses, sedges and mosses are dominant, is the Globeflower flowering in spring. This species is mainly characteristic over the border in high alpine meadows, the populations in the Hungarian Plain are regarded as relics of the postglacial period. In the present climate it can only be found in swamps and forests of Nyírség providing a cold and wet habitat. The delicate Iris sibirica with narrow leaf and blue flowers, and the tall White False Helleborine are also relics of the cold climate. Two species of orchids, the Early Marsh Orchid and the Lax-flowered Orchid are the most characteristics in the marshes and fens, while Marsh Marigold, several species of buttercups (Ranunculus spp.) andRagged Robin can be found in the wet meadows.

In autumn the Purple Moor-grass is the dominant species of marshes, and the Devils-bit Scabious, the Great Burnet and the Fringed Pink occur as well.

One of the most special plant, the Meadow Angelica is flowering at the end of summer. This rare, strictly protected species, which is also relic of the postglacial period can only be found in the Nyírség, where the biggest population lives around Bátorliget.

Two protected trees, the White Birch and the Bay Willow, and the Silver Birch as well have an important role in forming the picturesque landscape of the area.

During flowering the Meadowsweat Meadowsweet and the Marsh Crane's-bill the dominant species of the community of Filipendulo-Geranietum palustris are remarkable, however they can be seen in small extension, usually forming strips.

In the deeper parts tussocks are characteristic, formed by mainly the Tufted-sedge and theFibrous Tussock-sedge. The small wet microhabitats, the so-called "semlyékek" among the tussocks are special, where the Bogbean and the Bladder-sedge live. The Narrow Small-reedpopulations are also part of the botanical values of Nyírség.

The swampy forests with willow trees (Calamagrostio-Salicetum cinereae) are extensive in the protected area, where the hemisphere-like bushes of Grey Willow are dominant. Under the willows the soil is constantly wet providing a good habitat for several marsh species. Inside the swampy forest with willows Marsh Ferns are growing, while on the outskirts of the swamps Purple Small-reed forms a community. Such swampy forest-tussocks complex kept in hiding on the plain the representative of the Carpathians' peat-bog vegetation, the Ligularia sibirica, which means a biogeographical sensation. However, unfortunately nobody has seen any of them in the last few years. It is to be feared that the other relic species, the Marsh Cinquefoil will have the same fate as the number of individuals decreasing year by year.

We can also see some fragments of the communities of swampy forests with Bay Willow andWhite Birch tree (Salici pentandrae-Betuletum pubescentis), where the White Birch is dominant, and the Marsh Fern and the Lesser Pond-sedge are characteristic in the undergrowth.

Large portion of the Bátorliget swamp is covered by forests. Besides the remains of the former swampy forests with birch tree, oak-forests, mainly the oak-ash-elm groves (Fraxino pannonicae-Ulmetum) with hundred-year old trees dominate, providing habitat for several plant species rare on the Plain, but characteristic to the undergrowth of beeches. Such species are the Ramsons, growing in large number at a place named after it's bulb, or the Carex pilosa, the Herb-Paris, theYellow Anemone, the Asarabacca. The Squill flower in early spring in these forests. Along the Bódva-brook the Rough Horsetail forms large populations.

The hard-wood groves continuously, nearly unnoticed turn into oak forests with Lily-of-the-valley (Convallario-Quercetum roboris) as the soil moisture decreasing, so it is not surprising that they share many of their plant species, such as the Lily of the Valley, the Sweet Woodruffs, or theMartagon Lily. The higher and drier parts are covered by sandy oak-forests mixed with Silver Linden-tree. However, some parts of the forests were cut down and ploughed before the declaration of the protection, but nowadays forest are growing again on these fields, which might become similar to the original state ones.

In the forests of Bátorliget swamp several clearings with different size and water-supply can be found. Here live populations of the Military Orchid, the Betony and the Summer Snowflake in the wet depressions. The presence of these sunny clearings are very important from the point of view of insects, for example of several rare species of Lepidoptera.

Until the 90's researchers have described 804 vascular plant species, 326 lower taxon, from which 82 are moss species from Bátorliget. The number of vascular plant species found here are more than third of the total, 2214, Hungarian plant species.

This rich and diverse vegetation provides various types of habitat for a unique fauna as well. The diversity of invertebrates is so high that it took decades to determine the composition of the fauna. The results of the surveys showed that more than 5000 animal species live in this relatively small area. 325 species of the 5450 species described proved to be new for the Hungarian fauna, while 53 is new for the science, that is, this is their first (and usually the only) occurrence in the World.

Several species known from mountainous area or warmer climate can be found here, not even elsewhere in Hungary. The scientific value of these hardly recognisable invertebrates are inestimable.

There are of course several vertebrates worth to be mentioning. One of the most important species of the area is the Viviparous Lizard. The eggs of this species, despite its relatives, are not hatched with the help of the heat of sun, but the young lizards develop in the body of their mother. That is why at the laying of the eggs already independent offspring are born. This reptile is common in Northern and Western Europe, but very rare in Hungary adapted specially to wet, fen wood areas.

Bátorliget swamp can only be visited with a permission and with guide on a boardwalk, but everyone can see the fabulous world of the Swamp on the display located next to it in the exhibition house.

2. Marshes and swamps around Bátorliget

2.1. The past and present status of the area

The first researchers of the area could visit definitely bigger and continuous marshes and swampy forests on the almost undisturbed former landscape. However, with the growing number of population, with the water regulation these splendid swamps and marshes began to dry out, to disappear. Many scientists protested for the sake of these nameless (or often having traditional local names) swamps, often in vain. However, there are still numerous valuable, already known or just revealed, area in this region, and still have a chance to protect these natural beauties in the last moments.

2.2. Characteristics of the area

Near to the present nature protected area there are several residue of swamps and other areas preserved marsh species (Dohányostanya, Ürge-tanya), the name of which already indicate the former conditions.

Mosaics of wet grasslands, marsh-meadows, swampy forests with birch-tree and hard-wood forests can be found among arable lands. Meadow Angelica and Fringed Pink grow in the grasslands, while Marsh Crane's-bill, Great Burnet flower along the channels and at the edge of swampy forest with willows. In some of these swampy forests with willow White Birch rises as well and Marsh Fern lives under them.

In the dips among dunes, west, south-west to Bátorliget chain of remains of marshes and swamps can be found, which lie near to the Bódvaj brook. This, unfortunately mainly canalized brook is the only river-water of the region. One of the well know mires is the Gánástanya Mire, which is "the most untouched and beautiful willow-reed swamp of the Nyírség" according to Soó Rezső. Most of its area is covered by swampy forests dominated by willows (Calamagrostio-Salicetum cinerea), which is impassable most of the year due to the high water level. The dense bushy willow community with the few meter high bushes of Grey Willow reminds us to the atmosphere of Mangrove. The swampy forest with Grey Willows are coloured with tall-sedges, tussocks, Crack Willow groves, reeds and fresh grasslands, where one can find the Medow Angelica Meadow Angelica, the Early Marsh Orchid and the Lax-flowered Orchid, while on the open water the yellow flowers of Greater Bladderwort occur.

Near to Piricse, the swamp of Julia-grove, the so-called Zsibolya, has just been revealed in the last years. One of the uniqueness of the swamp is the large swampy forest with Bay Willow andWhite Birch tree (Salici pentandrae-Betuletum pubescentis), characterised by picturesque birch trees reminding to northern landscape. The dominant wood species of this community is the protected White Birch. Despite to the Silver Birch, the young shoots and the leaves are shaggy, and there are white hair ("beard") on the back of leaves between the ribs. The White Birch is a euro-siberian species which has a sporadic presence in Hungary, mainly in swamps and in lime-deficient forests.

The other eponym species of this association is the protected Bay Willow. The leaves of this rare species of the swamps of Szatmár-Bereg Plain and the Nyírség are shiny, skin-like, similar to the bay leaves.

The grass-level of the Swampy forest with Bay Willow and Birch tree is also full of curiosities. On a wet, peat soil patches of Marsh Fern and Lesser Pond-sedge are alternating. Among the rarities, the occurrence of the relic Marsh Cinquefoil and two species of Peat-moss (Sphagnum fimbriatum, S. squarrosum), previously unknown in Nyírség, must be emphasised. The considerable population of the Tallós Helleborine, described a few years ago as a new species of orchids, must also be mentioned.

The swampy forest with Bay Willow and White Birch tree, relic of the post-glacial period in the Carpathian Basin, is one of the most rare and endangered plant community of Hungary, since its populations from the Hanság and Nyírség are almost disappeared.

However, there are other habitats here as well. In swampy forests with Willow Marsh Cinquefoiland Bogbean are growing. In the mosaic-like fresh grasslands and in marsh-meadows Meadow Angelica, Fringed Pink and several species of orchids are flowering. On the southern part of the area White False Helleborine population and in the Filipendulo-Geranietum palustris associationMarsh Crane's-bill can be found. In summer the reed belt is full of the yellow flowers of Great Spearwort. The special plants of tussocks and tall-sedges are the Marsh Cinquefoil and theNarrow Small-reed. East to the Ótanya-channel, in a Purple Moor-grass marsh-meadow - mixed with willows -, Siberian Iris live in the population of the rare Carex cespitosa.

Also near to Piricse, can be found a small patch of swamp - a Fibrous Tussock-sedge community (Caricetum appropinquatae) with gorsy willow - on the feet of "Földvár" dunes, which is the third known place of occurrence of the Marsh Cinquefoil in the Nyírség. On the eastern side of this village, on the wet pasture lots of Lax-flowered Orchid flower. Also the picturesque landscape of "Kacsavár" with meadows and pasture with gorsy willows and groves attract the visitors.

The swamps of Újtanya practically surround the houses. Its special marsh vegetation has been already noted in the first half of the last century, and remains of them are still found.

Along the Bódvaj brook there is wooded pasture with different trees and bushes, with White False Helleborine and Fringed Pink in some parts. At favourable water conditions in the small swampy forest patches and tussocks of "Pergenyő" Water-violet flower.

We also need to mention the large, dense fen-wood with willow of Peces-pond near to Penészlek and the Veres-meadow. Among the dunes of the latter one almost all the marsh associations and species mentioned can be found, mixed with drier grasslands.

Near to Fábiánháza and Nyírcsaholy, actually where the Nyírség meet the former Ecsed swamp, special residue of Alder swamp-groves are hiding. At the footings of Common Alder, tussocks of the Elongated Sedge are characteristic, but the Marsh Fern and the Narrow Buckler Fern also occur. In spring Water violets form a pink carpet on the waters.