Birds without borders
About this good practice
The Slovak Karst NP in Slovakia and Aggetelek NP in Hungary are a well-known cross-border karst region. The project "Birds without Borders" emphasises its further unique feature, the special protected area situated on both sides of the border. The waters in the valley of the river Bodva are important resting places of the migrant birds. Both national parks have been performing research activities focusing especially on the research of bird migration, by means of the Drienovec Ornithological Station in Slovakia and the Bódva-valley Bird Migration Monitoring and Nature Conservation Camp, near Szalonna in Hungary. The main outcome of the project is to broaden the services of the ornithological camps for both professionals and the public, by improving accessibility, providing better equipment for catching and observing birds, providing full-time professional and lecturer service for the visitors during the migration season, creating adventurous nature trails directly at the ornithological camps, creating observation towers at other venues and introduction of eco-education activities for the visitors all year, even beyond the main bird migration season.
Resources needed
Total Project budget408,156.10 €
Total ERDF awarded346,932.68 €
Evidence of success
The creation of a Slovak-Hungarian interactive web map, showing the significant bird watching sites and further points of interest for the visitors focusing on nature conservancy at this cross-border karst region, providing information about eco-educational events and camps with the demonstration
Potential for learning or transfer
In addition to the significant outcome of the project, i.e. the increase of visitors coming to the region, the project also contributes to the protection of the bird species and their habitats. One of the pillars of the project is the cooperation and mutual interchange of experience performed by the two national parks, since birds do not respect political borders and the visitors may be informed about the current news and interesting articles of the given venues.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Aggtelek National Park Directorate