Staff members of the Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd., Renáta Bocz (integrated project manager of Grassland-HU LIFE IP) and Olivér Váczi (project leader of CitellusLIFE), discussed this year’s "Mammal of the Year" in an episode of the Greendex podcast. The focus was on a species that is now strictly protected and serves as an essential ecological keystone species for the survival of entire ecosystems.
The professional community of the Vadonleső (Wilderness Watcher) Program has selected the Steppe polecat as the 2026 Mammal of the Year. This community data collection initiative is operated by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd., with the cooperation of the Hungarian Natural History Museum and the Budapest Zoo.
It is a well-known fact that the extent of ecologically significant habitat patches in agricultural areas is declining. Recognizing this, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan has announced a new funding opportunity for agricultural land users titled “Investments promoting the creation and maintenance of semi-natural and wetland habitats.” This grant supports the establishment and maintenance of grassy and shrubby strips on arable land, as well as the creation of wetlands on both arable and grassland areas.
On January 14, 2026, the Hortobágy National Park Directorate hosted the first event of this year’s eight-part educational Farmers' Forum series. The forum was organized in connection with the Grassland-HU LIFE Integrated Project.
The outstanding importance of Hungary’s grasslands – as highlighted by Bertalan Balczó, Deputy State Secretary responsible for nature conservation - is demonstrated by the fact that two thirds of the country’s protected plant species and around half of its animal species are associated with these habitats. “The Secrets of Grasslands” Photography Competition was organised for the 5th time with the aim of raising public awareness to ecological importance of grassland habitats.
The training farm of the Kőszeg Lutheran Secondary School—one of the model farms of the GRASSLAND-HU LIFE Integrated Project—has been awarded the prestigious “Meadow Hay of the Year” title. The award was received by the farm manager, Szabolcs Nagy, from Szilvia Orosz, Director of the Feed Analysis Laboratory at the Livestock Performance Testing Ltd.
A three-day international scientific conference entitled “Restoration of Europe’s Threatened Grasslands” was organised by the Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd. as part of the Grassland-HU LIFE Integrated Project, in cooperation with the European Commission and the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture.
The Grassland-HU LIFE Integrated Project is celebrating another significant professional achievement: at the 82nd National Agriculture and Food Exhibition and Fair (OMÉK), one of the project’s demonstration sites, the Horhos Valley Eco-Farm, won the Young Agricultural Professional Grand Prize.
As part of the GRASSLAND-HU LIFE Integrated Project, this year’s volunteer mowing camp was organised by the Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd., with professional support of the Duna–Ipoly National Park Directorate. During the six-day program, participants carried out conservation-oriented manual mowing on the protected Göbölyjárás fen meadow, in the Tápió region.
At the latest stop of the model farm demonstration series of the Grassland-HU LIFE Integrated Project, farmers were introduced to the practical implementation of sustainable livestock management at the farm of Róbert Barth. The event served as an excellent example of how nature-based farming can contribute to the wider adoption of sustainable agricultural practices in Hungary.
Sustainable grassland management took centre stage in Kőszeg at the first stop of a model farm demonstration event series organized as part of the Grassland-HU LIFEIP Project. Presentations by Szilvia Orosz, Péter Tóth and Szabolcs Nagy highlighted the proper utilization of non-protected grasslands, adoption of nature-friendly practices and the value-based price setting are the key pillars of future agriculture.
Hungary’s grassland ecosystems play a crucial role in the country’s natural heritage. Three-quarters of protected plant species and half of protected animal species are associated with these habitats, said Bertalan Balczó at the opening event of a series of model farm demonstrations launched under the Grassland Project in Kőszeg. The Deputy State Secretary for Nature Conservation added that the Project plays a key role in the long-term preservation of domestic grasslands.
In the spring of 2025, the staff of the Hortobágy National Park Directorate organized a field day across several sites of the Grassland-HU project, which aims to ensure the long-term conservation of Pannonian grasslands and their associated habitats. Thanks to the habitat management activities carried out to date, we observed thriving plant communities at our demonstration sites.
How can we graze our livestock in a way that improves our soils, enriches our habitats, and also improves the well-being of our animals? Some of the questions are answered by the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture in a new professional publication. This magazine was prepared within the framework of the Grassland-HU LIFE IP project.
The fifth round of “The Secrets of Grasslands” photo contest draws attention to the beauty and diversity of grasslands. In the landscape category, participants are invited to present the charm and rich variety of grasslands from a broader perspective. A separate category was announced for showcasing the seasonal transformations of grassland habitats. We spoke with Bertalan Balczó, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, agricultural engineer, and chair of the jury, about the themes of the contest and the role of grassland protection, which lies at its core.
The future of farming is moving towards regenerative practices. The Top 50 Farmers initiative leads this change. Zoltán Lengyel, the head of Táncoskert Farm, is part of the program, showing that sustainable methods benefit both the environment and farmers.
The concerted and systematic collaboration of scientific disciplines, state authorities, and the public is indispensable for the conservation of endangered species. Species Action Plans serve precisely this purpose, outlining the threatening factors and the objectives and measures of the action program implemented for their protection.
The Lutheran Secondary School of Kőszeg organized a professional day on grassland management. As a model farm participating in the Grassland-HU LIFE Integrated Project , the institution aimed to provide its students and local farmers with up-to-date information on various aspects of grassland management.
On 26 February 2025, the Hortobágy National Park Directorate will organise the eighth event in its lecture series connected to the Grassland-HU LIFE Integrated Project. The upcoming lecture will be held by Péter Balogh, farmer and geographer, who will discuss the relationship between nature conservation and agricultural management.
On 19 February 2025, the Hortobágy National Park Directorate will organise the seventh event in its lecture series connected to the Grassland-HU LIFE Integrated Project. The upcoming lecture will be held by Balázs Lesku, professional adviser of the Hortobágy National Park Directorate, who will introduce the attendees to invasive plant species threatening our grassland habitats.