Hungary's sixth biosphere reserve, and the first transboundary reserve of its kind in the country, was inaugurated on Thursday in Szentborbás, Somogy County.

At the opening ceremony, Minister of Rural Development Sándor Fazekas emphasised, with relation to climate change, the importance of water retention capability, which facilitates environmentally friendly landscape management, traditional agricultural activity, and as a result the development of rural areas. He also stressed the significance of rehabilitating backwaters and aquatic habitats in the interests of preserving the natural environment.

"Climate change brings the threat of drought, and if we are unable to find a rapid solution, this varied and unique wildlife may disappear forever", the Minister stated, adding that this is one reason why public attention must be directed towards the rehabilitation of aquatic habitats.

This is the goal of the newly inaugurated biosphere reserve, established on the Hungarian and Croatian sides of the River Drava, the designation of which was approved by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNESCO in July 2012, and which is a significant step towards the establishment of a biosphere reserve involving the rivers Drava, Danube and Mura within the territory of five countries.

The Danube-Drava-Mura biosphere reserve comprises some 631 thousand hectares of environmentally protected territory. Of this, some 236 thousand hectares belong to Hungary and include the areas of Danube-Drava National Park found along the banks of the Danube and Drava rivers, the zones of the Natura 2000 network found here, as well as new areas along the River Drava in the Ormánság region and along the Danube on Mohács Island. The area of the reserve found on Croatian territory is some 395 thousand hectares.

The main objective of the biosphere reserve, which has been created as a result of a joint Hungarian-Croatian initiative and will be managed jointly, is the preservation of the aquatic and coastal natural communities and natural values of the Mura-Drava-Danube border areas that have a close relationship with the three rivers, in addition to increasing income opportunities for local authorities and the population.

The Danube-Drava-National Park Directorate was awarded HUF 400 million environmental protection development grant in a tender submitted together with Croatian party for the rehabilitation of aquatic habitats. During the realisation of the programme, four tributaries of the River Drava were opened: two as Drávatamási, one at Tótüjfalu and another at Drávapalkonya, as a result of which the Drava is now capable of entering the tributaries even when its water levels are one to two metres lower. Consequently, the water supply of the surrounding agricultural areas, grassland, meadows and forests has improved significantly, which does much to aid their sustainable use.

The area along the River Drava and around mouths of the Danube and Drava rivers is one of Hungary's largest connected aquatic environments. It is the natural habitat of floodplain forests, is home to Hungary's largest population of White-tailed Eagles, and the pebble banks of the Drava are the exclusive nesting grounds of the Little Tern.

In addition to the new biosphere reserve, similar areas have been established in and around Aggtelek, Lake Fertő, the Hortobágy plains, the Kiskunság and the Pilis hills.

(MTI)