Börzsöny and Visegrád mountains
The plantations are representing an ancient agroforestry method with various functions. Beyond the fruit crop, the vegetation underneath should be cut for hay or grazed by animals. Due to the right and sustainable land management, the biodiversity in such habitats may be incredibly high. The high number of wildflowers in the vegetation keeps a great amount of pollinators on site all season around, which helps fruit formation. The biggest threats to the conservation of sweet chestnut orchards are construction and development as well as chestnut blight which killed most of the older trees on site. Thankfully the natural regeneration from both seed and root suckers is looking good, and after the reinfestation of the blight, the trees are now healing.
Chestnut plantations are part of the local beautiful landscape and they are resampling an old traditional and working way of the connection between humans and land. Their rich wildlife, high biodiversity and genetical diversity provide various ecosystem services, and they are also perfect sites for recreation, as well as education.
To conserve these sites, it would be essential to get locals involved and engaged, as well as replace the old missing orchards, plantations and dead trees by planting new ones. A subsidy system assisting all that would be just a plus.
Photos by Linda Magyar, CEEweb for Biodiversity
