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• The Kámon and Herény source water protection area in the city of Szombathely as a refuge for protected plant species

  123–125

  Lajos Balogh

  Csaba Szinetár

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  The hay meadows and protective forest strips of the Kámon and Herény source water protection areas in the northwestern part of Szombathely have been in good natural condition for decades. By harbouring populations of protected plant species (Orchis morio, Pyrola rotundifolia, Cephalanthera longifolia, Epipactis helleborine and Ophioglossum vulgatum), these areas resemble natural habitats found nearby in the Kőszeg Mountains and the Őrség National Park.  The good semi-natural condition can be attributed to the lack of regular mowing in the case of meadows and the lack of disturbance in the case of forest strips. In recent years, however, the area have been exposed to increasing human disturbance (car and motorcycle off-roading), so it may be timely to initiate legal protection. This short case study indicates that properly managed source water protection areas can play an important role in the conservation of semi-natural habitats, rare and protected plant species and the associated fauna.