Nature protection

The protection of our natural environment - as it is referred to in the name of our organization - has been a crucial point throughout our activities from the beginning (nevertheless we have specialized in a range of other things as well by now). In 1992 we initiated the establishment of three nature reserve areas where the natural sights and values are of local significance. In 2001 we proposed a motion to the registrar of Hajdúböszörmény about four more areas that should be protected. The areas are the following:

Tócó-völgy Nature Reserve Area
The upper part of Tócó Brook that takes its source on the boundary of two local regions, Hajdúság and Nyírség is of scenery importance. The area of the brook is dry in greater part of the year.

Nature Reserve Area of Lily-of-the-valley Oak Woods (Gyöngyvirágos Tölgyes)
This area is one of the last remaining areas where the once indigenous oak-woods can be found. In 2001 we proposed the habitat of the Hungarian Iris that was declared an endangered species to be made a nature reserve under the same area name.

Poplar Flat (Nyárfás lapos)
This area is the habitat of a rare and protected species of orchids named splendid orchid pompáskosbor. Several hundreds of this plant can be found here. The proposal was turned down because of the unsettled ownership competences of the concerned area.

Disznóshát Marchland (Disznósháti gyep)
This area is mainly of mow lands and spots of woods near the marchland of a small village named Pród where several valuable species of plants were found to have habitat, these species (e.g. veily iris - fátyolos nőszirom; sworded birdhelmet - kardos madársisak; sulphurwort - sziki kocsord) had been unknown in this region before.

Shore Mead (Partosrét)
This area can be found east of a village named Hajdúvid. Partosrét takes up some ten hectares of marshland and boggy fen which is the habitat of the endangered species of grallatores namely the tufted heron, several species of amphibians can be found round here as well.

Soloth of Hosszúkaján (Hosszúkaján szík)
It is a natron lake with periodically changing water level, nesting place of shore birds like redshank, godwit and lapwing.

The founder members have been exploring the beauty of the countryside of Hajdúböszörmény for fifteen years now including ornithological researches carried out during secondary school years. Our most important objective is to create the ornithological map of the region, but we have also made scientific researches in the field of botany and in laying down the map of the fauna of reptiles and amphibians as well. The results of our research work can be found in the first and second issues of "Természeti Örökségünk" (Our Natural Heritage). The objective of our Exploring Hajdúság program ("Hajdúság-kutatás"), started in 2000, is not only the exploration of our town's countryside, but it covers that of the neighbouring towns namely Hajdúdorog and Hajdúnánás as well. We expect to finish the program by 2003 with editing and issuing a publication of studies relating our researches and tabling a proposal for several scenery areas to be put under protection.

After the drastic destruction of Széchenyi-hill in 1999, our organization started to focus on the protection of tumuli and barrows (kunhalom or kurgán in Hungarian). With the help of the Hajdúsági Museum, archeological and historical sources were studied, and the hills of the countryside of Hajdúböszörmény were perambulated and patrolled all over. In the following year the botanical and geodetical surveys of the tumuli were completed. We also extended our researches to the hills of Hajdúdorog and Hajdúnánás. Some of the barrows are now under the protection of the municipalities.

As a result of our efforts made in the field of protecting endangered animals the nesting conditions of some species of birds (e.g. common roller, white stork etc.) were made easier. We also eased the living conditions of some bat-species in the Town Forest by placing out a number of special nesting boxes for them on the trees.

From this year on in the future we plan to put even more effort into the task of maintaining, attending, presenting and promoting nature reserves. In doing so financial support from the municipality and the allowances of the Environmental Protection Fund are more than vitally important.