Natura 2000

Landscape rehabilitation of a former bomber shooting-range in the Hortobágy National Park (II. phase)

Landscape rehabilitation of a former bomber shooting-range in the Hortobágy National Park (II. phase)

  • Identification number: KEHOP-4.1.1-15-2015-00001; KEHOP-4.1.1-15-2015-00002
  • Beneficiary: Hortobágy National Park Directorate
  • Total budget:  2.504 billion HUF
  • Implementation period: 2015-2018
  • Natura 2000 site: HUHN20002 Hortobágy (SAC), HU10002 Hortobágy (SPA)

The main objectives and measures: long-term conservation of the characteristic habitat types in Hortobágy (salt and loess steppes, intermittent small, sodic water bodies and salt marshes) and their protected species, and development of favourable conditions for traditional land use in a degraded and damaged former military area.  As part of the project, waste (contaminants and hazardous materials) was removed from the surface and the total explosive ordnance discharge was implemented. During the earth-works, the artificial surface shapes that emerged from the original ground were eliminated and around 5000 bomb craters were filled up on the exempted area. In total, 4161 acres of degraded area on the northern and southern part of the target and buffer area of the shooting-range were rehabilitated. Aquatic habitats were established on the borrow sites by opening together the larger bomb craters. The continuous and disturbed surfaces were sown with grass and the growing of grass was facilitated by flail mower and grazing.

Good practices

Rehabilitation on landscape level

The large-scale rehabilitation implemented on the Hortobágy steppe developed favourable conditions for traditional and landscape-appropriate land use on more than 4100 acres. The shepherding-grazing livestock keeping has been revived on the Hortobágy steppe by now, herds with hundreds of grazing animals enrich the landscape. Grazing is the most adequate management mode to conserve the good ecological status of the steppe grasslands and their wildlife. Farmers have already renovated several sweeps and put them in practice, some herdsman’s huts and stock-yards were also built on the rented area. As a result of the conservation actions, a diverse landscape evolved with aquatic habitats, which, considering its extension, is a unique example for the nature conservation utilisation of a former military area at national level.

Favourable ecological changes

After the nature conservation actions, the regeneration processes started quickly; positive results were detected already in the short term. By the third year after the intervention, the characteristic species of sodic grasslands, perennial grass and bulrush species occurred on the sowed area and a natural vegetation gradually developed.  Nature recaptured the bare soil surfaces which were created during the rehabilitation of the damaged area, and several protected and strictly protected species – e.g. Salsola soda, Plantago schwarzenbergiana – reappeared in the target area. The artificial aquatic habitats that emerged during the earth-works are important places for the nesting and migrating shore birds. The strictly protected Recurvirostra avosetta is a regular nesting species of these habitats. After several decades, Otis tarda was detected again in the steppe.

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