Danube river and its floodplain
The alluvial fruit orchards have a significant role in conservation as well as cultural history. They 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 large number of wildflowers in the vegetation keeps a great amount of pollinators on site all season around, which helps fruit formation. These orchards usually consist of old traditional varieties of fruit, apple and pear in particular. The biggest threats to the conservation of alluvial orchards are construction and development as well as that they are left abandoned and unmanaged.
These orchards are part of the local beautiful landscape and are resampling an old traditional and working way of connecting humans and land. Their rich wildlife, high biodiversity and genetic diversity provide various ecosystem services, and they are also perfect sites for recreation, as well as education.
For the conservation of 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 or renewing abandoned orchards. A subsidy system assisting all that would be just a plus.
Photos by Linda Magyar, CEEweb for Biodiversity
