Washington, D.C., 20008
Tel (202) 362-6730
Fax (202) 966-8135
Költo u.21, H-1121
Budapest, Hungary
Tel +36 1 395 7093
+36 1 395 7457
Aggtelek Biosphere
Reserve
Hortobagy
National Park
Kiskunsag
Biosphere Reserve
Lake Ferto
Biosphere Reserve
Pilis Biosphere
Reserve
| Mammals | |
| Birds | |
| Reptiles | |
| Amphibians | |
| Fish | |
| Invertebrates | |
| Plants |
| Mammals | 8 |
| Birds | 10 |
| Reptiles | 1 |
| Amphibians | 0 |
| Fish | 11 |
| Invertebrates | 26 |
| Plants | 30 |
| Mammals | 0 |
| Birds | 0 |
| Reptiles | 0 |
| Amphibians | 0 |
| Fish | 0 |
| Invertebrates | 0 |
| Plants | 0 |
Spirit of the Landscape- Possibilities of Ecotourism in the National Parks of Hungary
Hungary, however, is not only a transit country for animal smuggling but also a destination for smuggled creatures. Demand for rare wild animals is growing here, especially for such dangerous species as poisonous snakes and scorpions. Two years ago customs officials at Ferihegy airport discovered a haul of more than a hundred reptiles and 30 scorpions smuggled in by two young Hungarians from Egypt, intended for sale in pet shops in Hungary.
Rare and endangered species within Hungary are also favoured items in the animal trade.
The Kerecsen falcon is one of the species which are now found only in Hungary. Since the
Bird Protection Office began guarding every
single nest, smuggling of these falcons has significantly decreased."
"Air pollution is among the gravest problems as it affects directly or indirectly all other environmental media. Air quality in the country is still decisively determined by economic activity. In the last two decades the industrial production has declined (e.g. pollution has decreased in Borsod and Transdanubia industrial regions), big plants have collapsed and the road traffic has significantly increased...
It can be proved that altogether 3.9% (3590 km2) of Hungary's area is regarded as "polluted", 9.3% (8674 km2) as "moderately polluted". Almost half of Hungary's population, however, live in the territory hardly over 13%." -State of the Environment in Hungary" -State of the Environment in Hungary
Yearbook of International Co-operation on Environment and Development- Hungary
 | Municipal sewage drainage lags behind the level of water supply significantly, so utility gap has opened. |
| Insufficient efficiency of industrial sewage purification and pre-treatment. |
| Excessive nutrient and organic pollution of lakes and oxbows used primarily for recreation purposes. |
| Pollution load of watercourses - especially from agriculture - of small yield over dilution and self-purifying capacity. |
| Watercourses coming from upstream countries. |
| Decrease of natural flowoff as a result of weather changes and human interference (reservoir, river regulation) and consequently decrease of the diluting effect of the recipient. |
| Industrial air pollution damages the state of settlement and parts of those. The municipality survey in the framework of the present work showed 40 settlement with similar problems, for example, Ajka, Érd, Eger, Kisvárda, Nyírtelek. The causes can be traced back not only to the state of industrial plants but also to the consequences of wrong regional policy. Wrong co-ordination between industrial plants and residential areas is an old problem. Closing of some of the industrial plants decreased the problem but also created new ones. |
| Rehabilitation of abandoned settlement areas is not solved. This is typical in the industrial region in Borsod, Csepel and Tatabánya. These plants operate as pollution sources hindering the development of the settlement. Among the causes it is important that the plants were neglected already in the past and the buildings, facilities deteriorating since the closures are added to the so far accumulated pollution as waste. The real cause in general is the lack of resources and owners. |
| Transport has become an environmental problem the most difficult to handle entailing
health consequences. In the centre of towns or at villages where main roads or busy
industrial facilities are the population is exposed to strong impacts from traffic. It is
difficult to handle the problem. This is indicated by the fact that regulation is unable
to influence the situation. The main reason is that community development has always tried to meet the increasing demands locally and has not taken into account the relative carrying capacity of certain areas and the limit of traffic that can be controlled. Consequently not only pollution but also traffic got out of control especially in the centre of towns. |
| The operation of settlement regarding both surface and ground water is deteriorating
quality to an extent which endangers the use of water. Characteristics of the phenomenon
are sewage hills under the settlements, groundwater with nitrate, and surface water not
suitable for bathing any more. The main reason is the lack of solution for sewage disposal, water supply - sewer rate of 43% and the fact that only one third of water drained through sewers is cleaned biologically. The situation is caused by the lack and mistakes of regulation and development policy trying to meet greater population demand because of the scarcity of resources. The problem is intensified by the fact that utilization of newly built sewers is low due to the lack of adequate regulation. |
| Neglected, littered state of the urban environment has become typical. Less than half of
the covered pavements and roads are regularly cleaned in towns, there are several illegal
dump sites in the outskirts and villages. The reasons are the limited resources of the municipalities, lack of localism, undemanding behaviour and the weakness of regulation |
| The proportion of green areas at settlement do not meet the necessary extent, the existing ones are often neglected because of the deficiencies in maintenance. The reasons are the same as above and partly traced back to former settlement development mistakes. |
| Disappearance of the survival chances of a settlement image with special Hungarian characteristics in villages. Regarding small and medium size settlement, number of settlement groups regarded as traditional from some aspect have decreased. The first step was the appearance of tent roofs. Disappearance of this practice was concomitant with free construction of buildings and family house zones of some settlement are so diverse that the development of acceptably arranged settlement image has become impossible. |
With respect to air pollution, a national initiative called the Cross-sectoral Air Pollution Control Programme was launched in 1993. The Programme, scheduled to be implemented between 1994 and 1998, gives special attention to improving information systems to ensure real-time data evaluation on air quality and creating an integrated approach to all aspects of local and transboundary air pollution problems. A national Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emission Reduction Programme is also planned. It will be based on the obligations and recommendations of the UN ECE Protocol. A database on VOC emissions has been established." -Agenda 21#Air
"The basic regulatory framework consists of the Water Act of 1995, and the law on environmental impact studies of 1994. In addition, there are important provisions affecting freshwater resources under the Act on Environmental Protection (1995)." -Agenda 21#Water
"The species seriously threatened and requiring intensive conservation measures, forestry activities will not be sufficient. Action in this field was given first priority. Therefore a specific project aiming at predominantly ex-situ methods has been started by February 1998. The project is funded by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development. In the first stage, the following species will be surveyed, sampled and preserved in ex situ collections:
| Populus nigra (black poplar) |
| Pyrus sp. (wild pear species) |
| Sorbus sp. (mountain ash species) |
| Threatened Quercus species (Qu. pubescens, Qu. virgiliana) |
The first two years of the program are funded with 23.5 million HUF, 40 % of which is provided by the participating organisations and institutions."