Tasks and responsibilities

• Basic duties
  • Conservation of water courses
  • Nature conservation management – reconstructions, maintenance and operation
  • Survey, research and monitoring of natural areas
  • Ranger service
  • Interpretation, education
  • Assistance and consultancy in the planning process and approval of the district forest and game management plans
  • Providing expert opinion on local planning schemes
  • Providing expert opinions on issuing permits on both protected and not protected areas
  • Designation of new protected areas
  • Legal offences
  • Landscape and habitat management
  • Purchase of land in protected areas and acquisition of land
• Legislative background

Conservation of water courses

There have been incidents in the operation area of the Bükk National Directorate the last few years when streams have dried out completely, or in other instances they have grown into rivers after major down-pours. The latter cases induced major government actions and investments to tackle water management issues and they enjoyed a great support by the public. These programmes focused on prevention to protect human life and property, but they definitely considered nature conservation aspects, as well. We strongly believe that water management measures can be in line with nature conservation objectives.

Nature conservation management – reconstruction, maintenance and operation

The Bükk National Park Directorate, in addition to the Bükk National Park, also attends to management tasks of areas and assets under national protection of any level in the counties of Nógrád [1], Heves [2] and Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén [3] as defined by legislation. At present, the following areas are under national protection:

The protected natural areas of national importance, as that of the Bükk National Park are sustained by nature conservation management. The Nature Conservation Act No. 53 of 1996 lists the following measures: surveys and cadasters, and all other activities aiming at the protection, conservation, maintenance, reconstruction and interpretation of protected areas. The management plans of protected areas developed according to the law include all-round guidance to be taken into consideration in all cases by all.

Certain management requirements and directives were already included in the annex of the founding decree in 1976, regarding mostly the limitations to land uses different from the traditional forestry applied in the low-mountainous forested areas at those times. Although the tasks assigned to landscape protection were also included, the emphasis was definitely on the conservation of protected species.

The protection of wild plants and animals is a primary task. The regulation of various activities, especially that of forestry and grass land management is important in order to maintain protected plant species and their communities, protected animals along with the preservation of their habitats.

The conservation of other vertebrates of primary significance (e.g. Alpine newt, Saker falcon) can be implemented by special programmes (rescue, re-introduction, active protection). The big game species of the mountain (i.e. Deer, Roe-deer, Mouflon, Wild boar) are not under protection thus hunting them is permitted and prevents their over population and the consequent degradation of their habitats. Especially, the exotic Mouflon is unwanted, as it causes severe damage to the fragile rocky grassland.

The slow and spontaneous re-introduction of top predators (i.e. wolf and lynx) must also be encouraged by prohibiting their hunting and ensuring that their territories are.

By sustaining our grasslands and wetlands we can ensure the long-term survival of many, vulnerable animal species (e.g. invertebrates, etc.).

The protection of caves not only serves the preservation of these geological formations, but also sustains their fauna (primarily bats).

[1] With the exception of the protected area of the Duna-Ipoly National Park in the Börzsöny mountain, a section of the former Börzsöny Protected Landscape Area in the County of Nógrád.

[2] Except for a section of the Hortobágy National Park across the River Tisza, the nature conservation area of the former bird reserve at Tiszafüred of national importance and a section Mid-River Tisza Landscape Protection Area of 1.629 hectares.

[3] With the exception of the area surrounded by the rivers Sajó and Hernád and the national border, being the jurisdiction area of the Aggtelek National Park.