Conference of the Hungarian Association of Nature Conservationists

Our association is a member of the Hungarian Association of Nature Conservationists (MTVSZ), which organized a member group conference in Bakonybél from September 28–30. The main venue was the Pajta Forest School, operated by the Balaton Uplands National Park.

Following the opening ceremony, participants attended a lecture on the health and environmental impacts of electronic devices, as well as the issues caused by the mining of minerals essential to smartphone production, such as tantalum and gold.

Later in the day, we had a thoughtful discussion with Father Ábel, head of the Bakonybél Abbey, on Creation Care – exploring how Christianity and environmental protection can go hand in hand.

We also visited the Pannon Observatory (Pannon Csillagda), Hungary's leading center for astronomical education and outreach.

More at: www.csillagda.net

On Saturday, discussions focused on education for sustainability, the e-Figyelő project, and various nature conservation and agricultural initiatives. In the afternoon, a public forum took place with the participation of Erzsébet Schmuck (Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Sustainable Development), Bertalan Balczó (Deputy State Secretary for Nature Conservation), and Tibor László (Deputy State Secretary for Environmental Protection).

After a rich exchange of ideas, we visited the local St. Maurice Monastery and its arboretum. On Sunday morning, the event concluded with a mini pilgrimage to the Holy Spring (Borostyán Well), where, according to tradition, Saint Gellért lived as a hermit for several years.

As a symbolic gesture, participants planted three types of native shrubs:
Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas): Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), both offering edible and vitamin-rich fruits: Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), prized for its decorative red foliage.