Associated Beneficiaries

The Bükk National Park was established in 1976. It is Hungary’s third national park – and the first one to include mountain areas. The operational area of BNPI covers 884 736 ha, in addition to the Bükk Mountains, three of the country’s north-eastern counties. Besides the Bükk National Park, it includes 9 landscape protection areas and 13 nature conservation areas; 151 726 ha in total. The Bükk National Park Directorate (BNPD) manages about 7 700 ha protected area including 4 800 ha Natura 2000 forests. The basic duties of the Directorate include nature conservation management, maintenance, operation, assessing and exploring the health of the environment, monitoring its changes, organising the rangers’ service, raising awareness and introduction. It contributes to the approval of the regional forest management and hunting plan, deliver opinions on the zoning plans, and permits of protected and non-protected areas. It performs tasks regarding the designation of protected areas and Natura 2000 sites; establishes and operates sensitive natural areas. BNPD is managing forests since 1996. However, without sufficient information about the natural forest conditions and experience, BNPD only undertook small scale nature conservation forest management.

An old dream of the Hungarian nature conservation came true in 1997: a protected ecological system embracing the adjoining area of the Balaton Uplands was established with the connection of the already protected areas which had been separate for a long time. The area of 56 997 hectares of the Balaton Uplands National Park mainly consists of these six landscape protection areas: Kis-Balaton, Keszthely Hills, Tapolca Basin, Káli Basin, Pécsely Basin and Tihany Peninsula.

Among its regions Kis-Balaton is also protected by the international Ramsar Convention, serving the protection of wetland habitats. Tihany Peninsula – as a recognition of its outstanding geological values and the work of nature conservation in that region – was awarded of European Diploma in 2003. The Natura 2000 areas, covering partly the National Park and going beyond its area ensure the possibility of the conservation of habitats, plant and animal species which are of European importance.

The initiative of Bakony–Balaton Geopark – the area of which covers partly the National Park – sets the aim of interpreting the geological, natural and cultural values and awakening the consciousness of their social significance. The Bakony–Balaton Geopark became member of the European Geoparks Network and the Global Geoparks Network – assisted by UNESCO in 2012.

The official Internet site of the Balaton-felvidéki National Park Directorate provides information about the regions, exhibition sites, nature trails and accommodations of the area that belong to the National Park Directorate. The open guided hikes, tours and other programmes, publications, environmental education programmes and the work of our nature conservation experts are outlined on this site and will hopefully help you to get acquainted with this magical world in an understanding and loving way.

The primary objective of the Balaton-felvidéki National Park is the comprehensive conservation and protection of natural assets and areas. Besides protection it is also important to interpret the beautiful landscapes, living and non-living natural values and to provide possibilities for the present and future generation for learning and relaxing in nature.

These goals can be achieved only with the co-operation of the visitors who show responsible behaviour on the protected areas. Please help us to protect nature, do not disturb the habitats and natural values! Think of the following visitors, who would also like to enjoy the beautiful and intact environment. Please take special care of the protected and strictly protected plant and animal species, their habitats, and the caves!

The Duna-Ipoly National Park Directorate (DINPD) was established in 1997. The administrative area of the DINPD consists of the Duna-Ipoly National Park itself, 8 Protected Landscape Areas and 30 Nature Conservation Areas. The overall size of the areas of national importance is 130 000 ha including a Biosphere Reserve, a European Diploma site and several Ramsar Sites and Forest Reserves of great significance. The main duties of the Directorate are defined by law. The DINPD: - manages the administration of priority natural values and areas within its administrative area and provides priority and secondary data collection. It also operates the monitoring and information system related to its scope of duties and cooperates with other information and controlling systems; - maintains and operates the conservation demonstration establishments and educational, documentary and touristic establishments, participates in nature conservational researches and educational and documentary activities; - manages the preparatory tasks of regional forest and wildlife management belonging to the scope of the Ministry for Agriculture; - prepares the conservation management plans of protected areas and Natura 2000 sites; - due to the LIFE06NAT – HUNSTEPPICOAKS project an efficient steppe oak forest protection plan was carried out, amongst invasive control, switching of forest construction and raising social awareness about the importance of diverse forests; - carried out numerous experimental treatments in forests to promote the growth of indigenous species versus invasive ones. - planning and coordinating a cooperation with other national parks to assess the state of mountainous forests for creating a comprehensive database.

The Érmellék is a cross-border region of Hungary and Romania along the Berettyó and Ér rivers. The association ‘Érmelléki Természetvédelmi Többcélú Egyesület (ETTE)’ was founded in 2008. The main goals of ETTE, since its foundation, include the protection of the natural and cultural environment. The area is an important agricultural base but it also contains extensive forests of birch and pine as well as the native oak. ETTE has been regularly organizing field trips for schools with the aim of introducing the forest animals and their natural habitat in the Érmellék. We believe that exhibiting the values of our natural environment to future generations is an important part of conservation and development.

The mission of the Institute is to study the different fields of ecology and botany both for basic and applied sciences at international standards, and to reveal, manage, develop and communicate knowledge in the above fields of science; the maintenance, development and exhibition of the Botanical Garden's collection, which forms part of our national heritage and property. The staff of the Institute actively participates in the gradual and post-gradual professional and scientific education in co-operation with several universities. The Forest Ecology Research Group investigates the biodiversity, species and functional composition, pattern, history, dynamics and function of forests. The research is mainly focused on the temperate deciduous forest zone of the Carpathian Basin including unmanaged and managed forest stands. The current research projects of the group are (1) long term monitoring of forest reserve core areas focused on stand structure, shrub and under-storey layers, and forest site; (2) the importance of dead wood in forest biodiversity (bryophytes and fungi); (3) effect of stand structure on the diversity of different organism groups (plants, animals, fungi); (4) experimental study of the forest management effects on the forest site, regeneration and biodiversity; (5) relationships among forest site, stand structure and under-storey in historically different oak forests; (6) modelling the energy flow and nutrient cycling of forest ecosystems.

WWF started its operations in Hungary in 1991, with supporting Birdlife Hungary in species conservation projects. Our mission is to improve the ecological status of species and habitats in Hungary and making a contribution for these on the European level. We are working tirelessly for humanity and nature to live in harmony with each other. Our aim is to preserve biodiversity, to reduce pollution, to contribute to the sustainable use of the palent’s natural rescources and to encourage the use of renewable energy sources.

The activities of WWF Hungary mainly support the preservation of species and habitats, but we also work together with the countries along the Danube River basin and the countries encircled by the Carpathians to solve cross-border, multi-country conservation problems. We consider both policy work and field interventions equally important, and we believe that combining the two kinds of activities efficiently contributes in delivering implementable solutions and forward-looking results for all stakeholders. We are working together with decision makers, authorities, researchers and local communities to implement our programs.