During the first two weeks of September, bachelor’s degree students from Institute of Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning and Garden Art at the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences took part in a field exercise in the Tápió Nature Park area. Over the course of the workshop, students familiarised themselves with the area’s cultural and natural values, carried out field surveys, completed planning tasks, and designed and constructed two barefoot nature trails. In addition, they prepared a landscape architecture plan that contributes to the park’s long-term development goals.
As part of this two-week field workshop, landscape architecture students from Hungary took part in hands-on activities aimed at enhancing and developing visitor attractions in a nature park located near the capital. The initiative highlighted the strong potential of cooperation between universities and local organisations, not only in research, but also through practical training activities that create tangible benefits for students, communities, and landscapes alike.
Nature parks in Hungary represent a distinctive, community-driven approach to landscape management and rural development. Unlike traditional, state-led nature conservation or land development initiatives, nature parks are bottom-up projects rooted in cooperation between local governments, businesses, civil society organisations, and residents. These parks have gained increasing popularity as platforms that combine environmental protection with regional development and community engagement.
Hungary’s nature parks align with broader European trends. Across the EU, there are around 900 regional nature parks in 22 countries, covering approximately 8% of the Union’s territory. Hungary stands out due to its strong legal framework: the establishment and operation of its 17 nature parks are regulated by a dedicated government decree, providing clarity and long-term stability for their development.
Nature parks differ fundamentally from national parks, which are primarily state-led and focus on nature and landscape protection. According to Hungary’s Nature Conservation Act, a nature park is defined as the result of cooperation between local communities, including local governments, social and economic organisations, and residents, supporting regional and rural development through the preservation and sustainable use of landscape, natural, and cultural values.
Their activities are guided by a four-pillar model that defines their core objectives:
- Preservation of natural, landscape, and cultural heritage
- Environmental education, awareness raising, and strengthening landscape identity
- Sustainable regional development
- Sustainable ecotourism and recreation
Beyond tourism, the establishment of nature parks plays an important role in protecting natural assets, strengthening local identity, and supporting rural livelihoods. Key objectives include sustaining traditional farming practices, promoting distinctive local products, and developing attractions that reflect local cultural and historical heritage.
For several years, the Institute of Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning and Garden Art at the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences has been actively cooperating with Hungarian nature parks. This collaboration includes involving students in preparing baseline studies required for nature park certification, as well as conducting landscape analyses and planning tasks. A particularly close partnership has been developed with the Tápió Nature Park, for which the Institute prepared the feasibility study several years ago and continues to collaborate to this day.
This workshop demonstrates how academic institutions, local communities, and nature parks can work together to support sustainable rural development, environmental education, and the practical training of future professionals, values that strongly resonate with the broader objectives of the RURALITIES project.
