In January participated in a series of thematic conferences organized by the Hungarian Association for Precision Animal Husbandry at ANImashEXPO.
In our presentation, we introduced our project and insect-friendly grazing methods, then answered questions from interested parties in a roundtable discussion.
The small ruminant section was followed by numerous farmers, and we were delighted that many of them were interested in our work.
In addition, valuable professional consultations took place with other experts—livestock farmers and veterinarians—on the nature conservation aspects of ivermectin.
Thank you for your openness and inspiring conversations!
As the year comes to a close, we would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the project’s goals through their professional work, collaboration, and support.
In 2025, we achieved numerous important results in restoring habitats crucial for insect and bird species, as well as promoting insect-friendly grazing practices.
The winter period is especially sensitive for many species. We kindly ask you to continue paying attention to the wildlife around us during the holidays – whether it’s leaving garden leaves, responsibly operating winter feeders, or protecting natural habitats.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a New Year rich in biodiversity and professional success,
Over the past two months, we attended five events to promote the project and insect-friendly grazing methods among farmers.
In September, we participated in the ÖKO Expo Exhibition organized by the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture in Debrecen, the 29th National Herders’ Competition, Shepherds’ Meeting and Shepherd’s Dance Competition in Hortobágy, and the National Agricultural and Food Exhibitions (OMÉK) in Budapest.
In October, interested parties could learn about our project at the Hortobágy St. Dömötör’s Day Drive-In Celebration, Crane Festival and Craft Fair, and in November at the University of Debrecen’s One Health Day event.
At these events, we consulted with more than 100 farmers and informed them about the harmful effects of ivermectin-based anti-worm veterinary drugs on nature and ways to avoid them.
At the end of October, we held our open Advisory Board meeting and the Steering Committee meeting, along with the related field activities. Together with our partners, we reviewed the results achieved so far, discussed the areas that require further development, and coordinated the tasks planned for the upcoming period.
We thank everyone in attendance for their participation and active contribution!
The Eurasian Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) used to be a typical bird of the Hungarian steppes, but its population has collapsed recently. In the 1990s, there were 20-30 pairs breeding in Miklapuszta, but today they have disappeared from the area and have not yet returned despite livestock grazing and other habitat management actions in the project. The Hungarian population is currently estimated at a maximum of 50 pairs. The species particularly prefers barren, dry, grazed areas. Its nest is a depression in the ground. Both the old birds and chicks have camouflage plumage and blend in well with their surroundings. The species is highly protected in Hungary, with a conservation value of 500,000 HUF.
Hungarian Sea Lavender (Limonium gmelinii ssp. hungarica) might be a heraldic plant of Hungarian salt marshes, one of the most characteristic perennial flowering plants of the plains east of the Tisza, capable of turning the entire steppe purple in late summer.
It is a native plant of steppes and alkali grasslands located at the Carpathian Basin. The plant belongs to the family Plumbaginaceae found in the order Caryophyllaceae . Itstarts to fluorish in July, but flowering is the most intense in the second half of August and lasts for weeks.
Hungraian Sea Laveneder is considered to be a common species of the Hungarian salt steppes, especially in the Tiszántúl region. In many places, it can be found on the sides of flood protection embankments. As many salt-tolerant species have recently begun to spread along roadsides due to road salting, Hungarian Sea Lavender can also be found alongside with highways or in the parking lots of large stores in urban areas.
It is a salt-tolerant, resistant plant that is able to withstand extreme weather conditions and can sprouts even when precipitation is low. Sea Levender’s leathery leaves store water well, and its roots penetrate deep into the soil, protecting the plant from drying out in extremely dry habitats or weather conditions.
Although Hungarian Sea Lavender is not a protected plant, it must not be collected in nature reserves, just like any other plant!
There was a huge interest in the 2nd Biodiversity Conference organised by the LIFEforBUGSandBIRDS project, the Biodiversity Centre of the University of Debrecen, the Faculty of Agricultural, Food Sciences and Environmental Management of the University of Debrecen and the Hortobágy National Park Directorate. The theme of the event was innovative conservation with animals, focusing on regenerative agriculture, grazing and rewilding. The conference was attended by representatives of the most prominent national conservation organisations as well as international experts. The two-day conference, which included presentations and field activities, had a great atmosphere, and provided a great opportunity for professional exchange and learning from each other’s work.
The venue was provided by the Visitor Centre of Hortobágy National Park. We thank all those present for their participation!
At the end of March, the LIFEforBUGSandBIRDS project also participated in the Central and Eastern European LIFE Projects Platform Meeting Conference (CEE InterLIFE-Hungary 2025) in Balmazújváros, where participants from several Central and Eastern European LIFE projects gathered to present their activities and share their professional experiences.
At the meeting, several promotional tools were presented and distributed among the participants and a presentation was given on the project in Miklapuszta.
We started the year by organising a regional workshop, where we introduced the project and the idea and methods of insect-friendly grazing for shepherds and farmers involved in livestock grazing. The workshop allowed the sharing of experiences and opinions about the subject among shepherds, farmers and researchers. Based on the feedback received, the workshop was very useful for both the farmers and us as we learned a lot from each other, for which we thank the participants.
In mid-January, held our third annual project meeting, attended by the organisations participating in the LIFEforBUGSandBIRDS (Miklapuszta-LIFE) project and members of the Advisory Board such as Állampuszta Ltd. The beneficiaries presented their results achieved in 2024, and we also discussed future plans in technical consultations.
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