A long ago expected summarizing could have been published on our website. The report about habitat management, illustrated with photos, is done.

By the end of 2005, the field purchasings on the Hortobágy, which are part of the LIFE Programme, ended. The aims are realized. The Hortobágy National Park Directorate (HNPD) succeeded take share of the management of projected fields (on the Nagyiváni puszta several hectars from the 100 ha, on Disznórét 16 ha from the 80 ha).
In addition to the arable fields that are continously cultivated by private farmers and HNPD, previously abandoned fields are cultivated again in the area of Borzas puszta. With these, 8 more or less connected arable fields, on 232 ha, provide favourable habitat conditions to the Great Bustards.
The reason for recultivation of 5-10 years ago detached arable fields:
• development of field habitats that are safe and favourable for the Great Bustard in the whole year
• extending the area of arable fields, making a connection to the fields of Nagyiván and increasing the attractivity of the inner areas, that are less used by Great Bustards
• relative deficiency of arable fields
Burning as a habitat treatment
A determinant element of succesive processes in grass habitats is fire. Stressing of destructive effects of fire was universally current in Hungary, also in the previous decade. There were only few people who mentioned its advantages, too. Fires were frequent in Hortobágy, especially in the dry period between 1982 and 1995, but also in the previous decade.
The main part of the grazing lands are undergrazed. This describes the display areas of Great Bustard on Hortobágy, too. Before the burning, the area was surrounded with anti-burn grassland strip. The realization of the task took place on the 10th of November.
The burning reached its goal, the former display area became shortgrass habitat again.
The superfitial, wildfire-like burning can be classified as ideal fire from the view-point of conservation. The fire burned stained, sparing soil and root system of grass-clumps, did not harm the seedset or the invertebrate fauna of the soil. It formed micromozaic-like habitat structure in the homogeneous plant communities. As a potential result of the wind strengthening in the daytime, low communities weren’t harmed by the fire. At the time of burning there were already no invertebrates in the area.
Electric wire
You can read fully about the underground cabling programme of the HNPD on http://www.hnp.hu/78-304.php. In some parts of the area this activity affected the Great Bustard directly.