Lakes Rétszilas Nature Conservation Area

 fishing area, birds, birdwatching area, marsh, nature conservation park / area, horse riding

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The valley of the Sárvíz (Sárvíz-völgye) was one of the largest marshlands of the Dunántúl until the 19th century. The axis of the region from the Lake Velence as far as the northern border of the Mezőföld nurtured by water was the Sárvíz stream. The majority of the area lying lower than its surroundings was characterized by vast marshes, boggy areas, fenwoods and wet hayfields – providing habitat for a rich flora and fauna.

Although draining started already in the 18th century, but the majority of the region was cultivated only from the turn of the last century. The lowest areas along the Sárvíz – fortunately – have not been able to be snatched from water. In order to make profitable use of the area some fishponds were created at the beginning of the 20th century. This system of fishponds stretching as long as 14 km was created at that time along the Sárvíz and the two largest draining canals of the area the Malom- and the Nádor-canals. The system consists of twelve large (ten to seventy hectare) and sixteen smaller (up to five haectares each) lakes and several brooding lakes.

More than 220 species of birds have been listed on the fish-ponds, the half of which also nests there. The richness of the fauna is characterized by the dragonfly- and the amphibian fauna (fire-bellied toad, tree-frog, marsh-frog, edible frog and moor frog). Traces of the otter can regularly be spotted on the dams. Military-, loose-flowered-, and green-winged orchids grow in the wet meadows.
A part of the area is open for eco-tourism (angling, bird-watching, riding etc.). There is a museum of fishing in Rétmajor presenting the old lifestyle of man living in the marshes of Sárrét fishing and hunting.

www.foek.hu/zsibongo/termve/tt/angtt/retszil.htm