The Western Protection Forest
On the western shore of the lake, in the 1870s, the landscaping of the previously forested pastureland began, when György Festetics commissioned the design of an English park covering 23 hectares. The original habitat type of the area is now difficult to identify, but the current vegetation mostly resembles a hornbeam-oak forest.
The size, crown, and trunk shapes of the 100-year-old or older hornbeam trees in the stand confirm the previous use of the area as a pasture. The current species composition consists of both native and planted species, as well as some that spontaneously appeared.
In the upper canopy, alongside mountain maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) and large-leaved linden (Tilia platyphyllos), there are scattered occurrences of beech (Fagus sylvatica), common ash (Fraxinus excelsior), mountain elm (Ulmus glabra), pedunculate and Turkey oak (Quercus robur, Quercus cerris). In the second canopy level, hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), bird cherry (Prunus padus), field elm (Ulmus minor), and Norway maple (Acer platanoides) are characteristic. Non-native species such as black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), box elder (Acer negundo), horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), western hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), and honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) can also be found in the area, sometimes forming larger patches.
Northern and Eastern Protection Forests
The flat stone-paved well and the concrete water trough built into the soil surface in the Eastern Protection Forest provide evidence that the lower-lying area was once used as a pasture. In the early 20th century, the area of the Northern and Eastern Protection Forests consisted of reeds, as well as marsh and swamp meadows, shaped by varying water levels.
After acquiring the surrounding lands, the Festetics family’s forest management in Keszthely began the first plantations. In the Northern and Eastern Protection Forests (Prunus padus) were planted. Alongside the prince's road connecting the Festetics Castle to Hévíz, swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum), well adapted to high water levels, was planted in the wetland areas of Hévíz and along the road edges.
The natural habitats were replaced by artificial afforestation, which began on a larger scale in 1910. After the 1950s, early summer stands were planted, which were harvested in 1992. During the renovation period of 1991-92, the aging alder stands in the Northern Protection Forest began to be harvested. After the final cut, multi-year resinous alders (Alnus glutinosa) and Hungarian ashes (Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. pannonica) were planted by hand. Over time, domestic species of willows, bird cherry (Padus padus), and black elder (Sambucus nigra) naturally mixed into the plantations.
The Importance of Protection Forests and Permanent Forests
The forest surrounding the lake plays a significant role in keeping the mist covering the water surface above the lake, as it provides protection against the wind. In addition to its unique visual appearance, the mist layer ensures a characteristic microclimate, reduces evaporation from the water surface, and decreases heat loss from the water.
Continuous forest cover is necessary in the areas surrounding the lake, thus providing ongoing protection from the trees. In the past decades, mixed-age forests have been established where once there were planted monocultures.
In areas where this process has not yet begun, young, exclusively native saplings, including thousands of alder, ash, and hundreds of pedunculate and sessile oak saplings, have been planted. These new generations of trees must be continuously nurtured and protected from pests, wildlife, and invasive species. The creation of a true permanent forest will take several decades, but its benefits will be enjoyed by many generations to come. The goal is for the forest to contain trees of all ages, from 1 to 100 years old, creating a forest with potentially 100 different age groups.
The Role of Deadwood in the Protection Forest around the Lake
Deadwood refers to dried trees still standing, fallen trunks, trees that have become stuck at an angle, stumps, broken thick branches, and thin twigs. While walking through the protection forest, one will frequently encounter such fallen trees, mushroom-covered stumps, broken thick branches, dried trees, and moss-covered stumps.
Deadwood and the biodiversity associated with it are key in maintaining the biological processes in the forest, as many organisms help return deadwood to the forest. On those pieces of deadwood that have not yet been "processed" by fungi, larvae of beetles with strong chewing mouthparts feed, as they can digest cellulose. These species break down the wood, create tunnels, and help fungi and species that feed on decaying wood to enter the material. When the deadwood becomes soft enough to be crushed by hand, bacteria and microscopic fungi complete the process.
The wildlife of a healthy forest is very rich, but the greatest activity is found in trees and areas around them that continue to serve the forest even after their death. It is important to know that a "disordered" forest rich in deadwood, shrubs, and herbaceous plants is, in fact, a healthy forest!
