Have you slid down the Kiskunsag sand dunes?
If you travel to Central Hungary, you might come across the dry Kiskunsag Sand Ridge. It is a semi-arid lowland region covering 8,300 square kilometers. Shallow soda lakes with a high resistance to acidity puncture the swathes of sand dunes that stretch across the region monitored by the Directorate of National Park of Kiskunsag. The directorate takes part in Oppla, a European Union-supported platform for communities seeking to solve environmental problems through nature-based resources.
Traditionally, the local population let their livestock graze in the area. In addition, they tilled small fields and cultivated vineyards and orchards. However, over the last 50 years, intensive farming and timber plantations have altered the landscape. Resource over-use has led to a pattern of cultivation replaced by abandonment, and de-populated rural areas. Over-use of sparse water resources is one of the major causes of this displacement; it has also triggered conflicts over water.
The national park’s directorate has been working to protect the local environment since 1947. Currently, they seek to ensure sustainable use of land and water by identifying the main problems and involving local stakeholders in crafting the solutions.
Central to the directorate’s approach are the concepts of ecosystem services – which the park directorate is working to introduce for agriculture – and natural capital. These concepts are used to improve environmental management at the local and regional levels, with an eye to strengthening sustainability. There is hope that this approach can help to resolve conflicts over the use of water.
Introducing concepts such as ecosystem services and natural capital into the local way of thinking about the environment can improve planning and reduce conflicts over natural resources. The work has focused heavily on including all stakeholders in discussions and projects. This has also alleviated many local conflicts, making concerted action easier.
Both of these concepts can be applied in other communities facing similar problems. Participation of all stakeholders and a common understanding of ecosystem services and natural capital is key to promoting projects without evident financial gain and managing conflicts over natural resources.
