East-Mecsek Landscape Protection Area

The wildlife of the mountain range extending from the east to the west, has sub-Mediterranean influence. Its orchards, vineyards and chestnut trees on the southern slopes, the remains of the former watchtowers overlooking the surrounding countryside and the modest but awe-inspiring medieval churches give the area a unique southern atmosphere.

In addition to the folded and fractured Triassic and Jurassic limestone layers typical of the Mecsek, igneous rocks were also formed in the eastern parts by Cretaceous volcanism. Representatives of these volcanic rocks are the distinctive, tinkling phonolite and the co-occurring trachidolerite. The varied composition and complex structure of the mountain range can also be studied along the Várvölgy Geological Study Trail at the foot of Máré Castle.

Typical of Mecsek’s climate are the differences due to sub-Mediterranean effects between slopes exposed towards the south and north, as well as the ridges which thus act as climatic dividing lines. The mean annual amount of precipitation is 710 mm, the mean temperature is around 10.0 C°. The most significant watershed streams are the Völgység brook in the north, the Baranya canal in the northwest, the Pécsi-víz rivulet in the southwest, and the Vasas-Belvárd stream in the south. These streams are fed by about one thousand springs whose distribution in the mountains and water output are in accordance with the geological features of particular locations.

Flora

The vast forest block of the East Mecsek is surrounded by dry grasslands to the north and south. On the loess-covered hillsides, degraded slope steppes form erect brome grassland (Bromion-like) plant associations. These grasslands are characterised by a high species richness and a high number of protected species. There are also narrow-leaved flax, downy flax, golden flax, Michaelmas daisy, false alkanet and the rare Laxmann’s bugle. The aforementioned blue-flowered false alkanet found in the meadows above Pécsvárad is the host plant for the protected longicorn beetle species found only here in Hungary, the alkanet longicorn.
Three forest communities form the main forest mass in the area: the Mecsek beech woods, the Mecsek oak-hornbeam forest and the Mecsek Turkey-oak forests cover the largest area of the eastern part of the Mecsek. These forests contain several common yet typical, protected plant species as well as rare species unique to the Mecsek. In early spring, the liverwort, the common primrose and the protected scented hellebore open their petals. Large areas are covered by the prickly butcher’s broom, but the green clumps of its red-berry relative, the spineless butcher’s broom, can also be seen in winter.

It is only in Mecsek Mountains in entire Hungary that one can stumble upon the small-flowered yet tall specimens of alpine woundwort. A few unique, rare species belonging to the modest looking, almost unnoticeable helleborines are also present here. The most common of these are the narrow-lipped helleborine and Tallos’s helleborine (the Norden helleborine is much less common, and the former occurrence of the Piacenza helleborine near Óbánya and in the Réka Valley is a real botanical sensation, because it had not been recorded earlier in Hungary). In beech woods and hornbeam oak woods we can find the sub-Mediterranean pink woodruff, which is typical only of the Mecsek and Villány Hills. It is in the warm, southern slopes and dry hilltops of the Turkey-oak forests and in their clearings, that the famous flower of the East-Mecsek, the Banat peony, found only here in the world, can be encountered. This plant, which prefers open, sunny woodland areas, is a strictly protected wildflower we care much about.
Three other plant associations in the East-Mecsek area are worth highlighting. The silver lime scree forest is an Illyric association that has developed on the northern, shallow-soiled, often rocky slopes of hilltops and ridges. Silver lime and tall ash form the upper canopy layer of this relict plant association, while manna ash and large-leaved lime form the lower layer. Due to the movement of rocks and scree on the slopes, these trees are twisted and branched. A large number of streams running through the mountain are often adjoined by two plant communities. In addition to the sedgy alder groves with common alder (quite rarely grey alder), there are also South-Transdanubian oak-ash-elm gallery forests.

Fauna

The animal species living here are no less valuable: along with a large number of protected species, there are also some strictly protected ones. Lesser spotted eagles nest in the undisturbed old forests, and white-tailed eagles use their nests located here to launch their fishing trips to the local fish ponds. Black storks rear their long-legged chicks here.

The conservation of old forests is essential to ensure the undisturbed rearing of Bechstein’s bat, western barbastelle and Natterer’s bat youngsters. Whilst the beautiful Rosalia longicorn is a resident of the cool beech forests, the monotonous chirping of the giant singing cicada males can be heard in the dry, warm oak woodlands. Yellow-bellied toads float in the water puddles of wheel tracks, agile frogs jump away in the damp undergrowth at our approach, and Aesculapian snakes search for bird nestlings in the bushes and shrubs. In spring, the forest fills with the cooing of stock doves, the only species of pigeon to nest in tree holes. Black woodpeckers are of great help for them, by carving new holes for themselves every year in the trunks of suitable old trees.