The 17.4-hectare meadow on the outskirts of Cegléd was declared protected in 1990 thanks to a rare orchid species, the spider orchid, and since the EU accession it has been added to the NATURA 2000 network.
The Cegléd spider orchid meadow was declared protected by the Minister of Environment and Water Management in Decree No 7/1990 (23.IV.) KVM.
Register number: 218/TT/90
Extent: 17,4 ha
Administrative boundary concerned: Cegléd
Short description of the protected natural area
The Cegléd spider meadow (Csíkos-szél) is an area near the Örkényi út and the Gerje (Csíkos) stream, where ideal conditions for certain orchid species have developed on the primeval grassland, which is regularly flooded by the waters of the Gerje. This is the site of the most important national population of the highly protected spider orchid, which recently reached a maximum of 5,000 individuals. There is also a significant population of the bug-scented basket. In addition to agaric, swamp swordflower, knight's wine and earwig wine have also been observed here in the past. The nesting of the gypsy martin, the salamander, the blue-breasted nuthatch and the stork have also been observed in the area.
Main threats and specific conservation tasks
The area is very small and lies on the border of the interior, so there are many threats. Indeed, the area is very sensitive and has a high risk of contamination, water drainage, turf encroachment, grazing during the flowering season, growth of rattling cocklebur and thorny iglice, dumping of rubbish, sewage disposal, burning, fertiliser and pesticide application, mowing, vehicle traffic, crossing.
During the flowering season, the most valuable orchid area in our country can be protected by increasing control, preventing illegal waste disposal with a protective copper barrier and by taking into account the above-mentioned threats through measures and obligations imposed by the nature conservation authorities.