Wetland Ecosystems in Hungary’s Nature Conservation Areas and Problems Relating to their Economic Utilization, from the Aspect of Nature Conservation

If our current way of life is to be kept sustainable, particular attention must be paid to the management of the world around us – including our environmental conditions, natural resources and assets, and particularly the available water resources – and to the protection of natural elements that are, for whatever reason, of crucial importance for all of us. The aims and methods of the necessary protection are, however, not always compatible with farming activities and forms of land use that have been practiced, in some cases, for centuries. This article describes some of the incompatibilities and conflicts between various forms of farming and the relatively new domestic nature conservation activities, with a focus on Hungary’s nature conservation areas and particularly its wetland ecosystems. This is followed by a discussion of problems associated with such conflicts and proposals for resolving them.