Tiszadorogma Göbe Forest NCA

Göbe is an oxbow lake of the the River Tisza. It formed during the flood controls during the 19th century by cutting through a riverbend. The Göbe (or Göbe Forest) sprawling over 173 ha, became a reserve in 1982. The major part of the area belongs to the municipality of Egyek while the rest belongs to Tiszadorogma. From the north, it is flanked by the present dam of the Tisza flood-plain, whereas from the other directions it is enclosed by the old rampart. The reasons why it became a reserve include the fact that it gives home to a unique wildlife still in a fairly natural condition that is characteristic of the wetlands of the Central-Tisza region. Most of the area is covered by old softwood gallery forests that are disappearing not only in Hungary, but all over Europe. The marshes, marsh meadows and the species-rich hairweed associations are extremely valuable. The high-value, mosaic-like forests offer an unforgettable sight: a forested landscape rich in old trees with huge trunks alternating with reedmace-sweetgrass beds and patches of open water. The area got cut off from the former, regular floods by the Tisza-dam, as a result of which the water supply of the Görbe Forest was threatened during the following years of drought during the ’80s. By the end of the ’80s, the experts managed to solve the problem of the water supply. Fortunately, since then the situation has improved a lot.

2. Description and nature conservation of the area

The Göbe Forest is a real ‘living museum’ presenting an almost complete mosaic of wetlands characteristic of the Central-Tisza Region. A typical plant association of the oxbow-lake is the rooted and floating vegetation. Salvinio-Spirodeletum associations cover the water surface mainly in years of high precipitation. Its dominant species include the Floating Fern, the Common and the Fat Duckweed and occasionally the Great Duckweed. In addition, the Lemno-Utricularietum vulgaris association is most likely to occur on the edges of the reedbeds and bulrush-patches. The yellow-flowered Greater Bladderwort trapping insects and tiny crabs is the most characteristic species of the two-layer association (Lemno-Utricularietum vulgaris) with the duckweed floating on the surface and the insectivore plants submerged in the water. Among the deeply rooted hairweed associations the most important ones are the waterlily (Nuphar)-beds with the White Water-lily and the occasional Yellow Water Lily. This spectacular plant association that is replaced by the Amphibious Bistort in the shallower, silty parts is really worth protecting. It is mainly formed by the floating variety of the Amphibious Bistort (Persicaria amphibium f. natans) often accompanied by the Frogbit and various species of the floating duckweed. The latter association shows signs of advanced eutrophisation and sedimentation since its stands are often replaced by the outposts of the reeds vegetation i.e. the Common Water Plantain or species like Schoenoplectus lacustris and Juncus compressus.

The marsh associations of the Göbe Forest are significant because of their diversity. There are no extensive, homogeneous reeds (Phragmitetum communis). Instead, mosaic -like stands are typical of the area. The dominant common reed (Phragmites communis), Schoenoplectus lacustris, the Lesser Bulrush and the Common Bulrush, the Branched Bur-reed and the Great sweet-grass form fairly large contiguous patches of quasi-separate communities. The common reed beds and reedmace beds adjoin marshy meadows. The most widespread of these are the Carici vulpinae-Alopecuretum pratensis and the Agrostetum stoliniferae marsh meadows. The meadow-foxtail, with its compact, cylindrical, ruddy-coloured panicles forms almost 80-centimetre-tall ash-green patches, whereas Agrostis stolinifera is characterizedd by much shorter, stocky tussocks of grass. Important species characteristic of the former associations are the Rough-stalk Bluegrass, the Kentucky Bluegrass, the foxtail (Alopecurus aequalis) and the Round-fruited Rush.

In May and June, the yellow flowers of the Meadow Buttercup, the Common Bird's-foot-trefoil and the Meadow Vetchling, as well as the light pink blossoms of the Ragged Robin, the Common Comfrey and the ruddy flowers of the Red Clover are prominent. Species like the Blue Clematis, the Purple Loosestrife and Lythrum virgatum, the Saw-wort and the Marshmallow bloom here during the summer. Plant species typical of marshy meadows are the Summer Snowflake, the Marsh Pea, Chrysantemum serotinum and the Hungarian Horse-radish, an endemic species of the Tisza Plain are all strictly protected species of great importance.

The riparian softwood forests can be regarded as one of the most important biotopes of Göbe. These forests grow on the alluvial sediment of the low-lying floodplains of the Tisza. These groves are often flooded for 3-4 months. Their dominant species include the White Willow and the Crack Willow, the White and Black Poplar. In addition to these species, the Fluttery Elm and a subspecies of the Hungarian Narrow-leaved Ash are important admixing species indicating the relationship between these habitats and the former oak-ash-elm hardwood groves of the higher of the floodplains. Lianas creeping up towards the canopy layer are the following: the Common Hop, the Traveller's Joy, the Virginia Creeper and the Hedge Bindweed. In the undergrowth, we can find a great number of tall-stemmed flowers like the Yellow Iris and the Summer Snowflake or marsh plants tolerating temporarily high water-levels like the Common Water Plantain, the Great Yellowcress, the Marsh Marigold, the Gipsywort and various plants populating the large sedge communities such as the fast spreading plants of drier areas: the Common Nettle and the Dewberry.

In the forest edges, a number of non-native plants can be observed. Among the lianas, such are the curtain-like communities of the mock cucumber Echinocystis lobata, the Riverbank Grape or the False Indigo are among the most aggressive weeds of the Tisza valley. The Early Goldenrod, the Small Balsam and the Policeman's Helmet or the Sweet Scabious occupying wet habitats are also aggressively spreading exotics. Other invaders, like the Locust-tree, the Box-elder and the Red Ash lead to serious degradation. However difficult and demanding it might be, a long-term goal of nature conservation is to drive out the aggressive and quickly spreading non-native weeds and to gradually replace them by the indigenous tree species of the riparian forests.

The fauna of the Göbe Forest has not been studied thoroughly so far. The insect fauna for instance is diverse, yet unexplored and thus unknown. Various chrysomelid beetles dwell on the rooted and floating hair-weed species. The larvae of the reed beetles (Donacia, Plateumaris) live on the rhizomes of sedges and reeds. Donacia crassipes is most likely to be found on the different species of waterlily beds. These sites serve as favourable resting and mating places for certain dragonfly species like Erythroma najas and Erythroma viridulum. The dragonfly fauna of the Göbe includes some large species, such as the Emperor Dragonfly, one of the biggest Hungarian species or the frequent Blue Aeschna and the Broad-bodied Libellula. Sympetrum species are especially abundant in late summer and early autumn. Floating hair-weeds provide suitable hiding places for predatory insect larvae (for example those of the dragonflies) or bugs such as the Water Scorpion, the Water Stick-Insect or the water boatmen (Notonecta sp.). Both the larvae and the adults of the water beetles (Dytiscidae) are carnivorous. Cybister laterimarginalis is the most common large waterbeetle species in the Göbe Forest. Smaller ones can also be found here such as the Pond Beetle, Rhantus punctatus and Bidessus geminus as well as species of the large bodied scavanger beetles (Hydrophilidae) like the Great Blackwater Beetle or Hydrous aterrimus. A protected species of great significance of the insect commmunities of marshy meadows is the Gossamer-winged Butterfly feeding on Water Dock. The ageing softwood groves serve as suitable habitats for other rare insect species whose larvae develop in decaying trees. Such species are the Marbled Rose Chafer, the Lesser Stag Beetle, the Musk Beetle and certain species of the roundheaded borers.

The species-composition of the rich avifauna characteristic of the marshes and riparian forests of the Tisza is fairly well-known. The softwood groves provide appropriate nesting places for a great number of cavity-nesters. Characteristic species nesting in cavities are the following: the Green Woodpecker, the Grey-headed Woodpecker, the Greater Spotted Woodpecker and the Syrian Woodpecker, as well as the Black Woodpecker that is expanding its range very quickly. Although the highly protected Roller is a very rare species, there are some quite frequent and common species like the Starling, the Spotted Flycatcher and the tits (Parus sp). The Wood Pigeon, the Turtle Dove and the Golden Oriole are common species living in the canopy, while the Lesser Grey Shrike is a rare breeder here. The Penduline Tit constructs its highly artistic, elaborate nests on branches bending over the river. The impenetrable, thick shrub-layer of the forest serves as a preferred habitat for the Nightingale and the River Warbler. Because of the relatively small size of the area, herons could not establish colonies here, but residents of nearby heronries, especially Little Egrets or Night Herons are frequent visitors. The Squacco Heron and the Grey Heron belong to the less frequent species of this area. The Cormorant, however, is becoming more and more numerous. The Black Stork is a characteristic species of the large, undisturbed riparian forest stands, while White-tailed Eagles can only be observed rarely and mainly during migration. More common species include the Black Kite, the Goshawk and the Common Buzzard. The Rough-legged Buzzard and the Hen Harrier are likely to appear here as winter guests.

The Göbe forest was declared a Landscape Protection Area with restrictions for visitors because of its rare and highly valuable flora and avifauna sensitive to human disturbances.