Office of the commissioner for fundamental rights of hungary

On 15 September 2021, Dr. Ákos Kozma, Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and Dr. Gyula Bándi, Deputy Commissioner led a professional discussion with Dr. Tibor Markovics, National Park Director and his senior staff in Őriszentpéter, at the headquarters of the Őrség National Park Directorate.  

 
During their exchange, the participants touched upon the protection of the grasslands, forests and water habitats of Őrség, ecotourism and environmental education, various development projects supporting the park’s operation as well as gene conservation activities in relation to the Hungarian Simmental cattle and the Medimurje horse breed. The Commissioner and the Ombudsman for Future Generations also planted a traditional Őrség fruit tree, typical of this area, called Queening (“csörgőalma”) by the visitor centre.  Next, they paid a visit to the European bison reservation (“Kondorfa Hegy-völgy Vadon Terület”) where – formerly endemic – bison have been reintroduced to the national park’s area, and they could also acquaint themselves with the best practices of sustainable forestry in the Pro Silva forest of the Directorate. To wrap up the day with some cultural heritage, they visited the open air village museum in Pityerszer and the Árpádian-age Holy Trinity Church in Velemér.  

The Őrség National Park is the youngest of ten such parks in Hungary: it was created on 1 March 2002. Its entire territory is under Natura 2000 protection in the European Union, while 3.104 hectares of land are specially protected.