Hungary’s first national park celebrates its 50th anniversary this year
Hungary’s first national park celebrates its 50th anniversary this year – the Ministry of Agriculture (AM) announced to MTI on Saturday.
Hortobágy is not only a national park, but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The first national park was established in 1973 to preserve and protect the area’s unique natural and ethnographic values. The establishment of the Hortobágy National Park was submitted to the government by the Pro Natura memorandum, which was authenticated by the signatures of 21 internationally renowned scientists.
The national park was originally created on an area of approximately 52,000 hectares,
which has expanded to almost 82 thousand hectares in the last 50 years.
Its entire area is a biosphere reserve, and according to the Ramsar Convention, more than 20,000 hectares are among the internationally recognized wetlands.
The entire area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
which includes, in addition to Hortobágy, a significant part of Nagykunság, as well as the architectural monuments that define the image of the region, including the Kilenclyukú bridge, the Hortobágyi Csárda and the Pásztormúzeum.
It became the third Csillagoségbolt park in Europe
The International Astronomy Association (IDA) has declared the Hortobágy National Park as the third Astronomy Park in Europe – to protect the wildlife, the natural landscape and the starry sky.
The national park was also included in the Astronomy and World Heritage thematic program of UNESCO due to the connection between the knowledge of the starry sky and pastoral science.
The star shop park has become one of the important elements of Hortobágy’s eco-tourism attractions and environmental education. During the existence of the national park, priority habitat restorations were realized in the area, such as the reconstruction of the Kunkápolnási marsh, the Egyek-Pusztakócsi marshes, and the Zám marsh.
In addition, within the framework of the LIFE program, various saline wastelands, swamps and grasslands were also rehabilitated.
In order to protect the birds, free wires have been replaced and eliminated
in the territory of the national park. In addition to the preservation of the natural and cultural heritage, presentation is a priority goal.
On the occasion of the anniversary, a number of programs await visitors
Hortobágy’s popularity was maintained for a long time by the carriage rides and foal show in Máta. The traditional knowledge and customs of the shepherds who graze large flocks and herds are still among the most important values of Hortobágy.
While the Pusztai Animal Park presents Hungarian breeds of domestic animals native to the Carpathian Basin, the Hortobágy Wildlife Park presents animal species that have already disappeared from the wilderness – wild horses, ancient wolves. The restored small railway on the Old Lakes helps to illustrate the incomparably rich birdlife.
The Hortobágy National Park is trying to commemorate the half-century anniversary with many special programs, more information about which is available on the national park’s website and social media, the announcement reads.
(Source: MTI)