Results

The five-year LIFE-Nature project ended 31st December 2011, and below you will find a brief summary of results. The results of the continuing work (conservation activities, monitoring, research, communication activities) in the project area are uploaded continuously.

• Final project brochure (Layman's report) download >>

• Progress reports and final report of the LIFE project download >>

• Forest parts which needed conservation management were mapped at the start of the project. On the basis of this Danube-Ipoly National Park Directorate signed a contract with private forest owners ensuring that conservation takes priority at the site for 90 years. Only conservation activities are allowed, and there is no logging.

• During the summer of 2007 we started monitoring activities, including the monitoring of biodiversity in the area, and that of the nature conservation activities. Vegetation and insect monitoring with pitfall traps are recurring activities. Click here to read more on monitoring activities.

• The Pálfája Educational Centre was rebuilt and opened to the public in 2008, together with the Pálfája Nature Trail. The centre is very popular with locals and tourists, and has about 5000 visitors annually. There are various programmes, guided nature trail walks, and camps in the summer.

• During the autumn of 2008 conservation activities started including the elimination of invasive plant species and afforestation with native species such as pedunculate oak, and grey and white poplar. About 90-95% of the alien tree species were successfully removed from the whole project area (418 hectares), and afforestation was carried out on 65 hectares.

• An altogether 21 km long game exclusion fence was built to protect the results of the conservation activities. The newly planted acorns and saplings can thus grow safely from wild boars, fallow and roe deers. Click here to read more on conservation activities. 

• An international conference with more than a hundred experts, researchers and foresters was organised to present the results of the project and to discuss further things to do. Presentations, posters and the abstract book are available to download >>