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ACTION: D.1:
Development of visitor facilities on the project site
The aim of the action is the dissemination of project’s results for as many people as possible, especially for local inhabitants.
Painting: The scenery plan of the eco-centre and the monitoring hides (Painting: Gyula Nagy).
Photo: The purchased property where the eco-centre is going to be built (Photo: János Oláh).
In 2009 we purchased a 1552m2 building site for the eco-centre in the neighbourhood of the project site. The visitor centre and its additional constructive works were planned by an architect.
In 2010: At the beginning of 2010 we purchased another 560 m2 to the already purchased 1552m2 building site for the visitor center so there will be more place around the eco-center to receive more visitors at the same time without disturbing the wildlife. The building permit by the local government of Blamazújváros was delayed due to the archaeologist excavations but finally was released so the entrepreneur could be selected and the final building contract was signed. The building work started in the late autumn but the wet conditions did not help this action either. We expect the opening of the eco-center in summer 2011.
Picture: The building of the eco-center has started (Photo: János Oláh)
At the beginning of May 2010 our first observation tower with an information board was installed at the Kerek-fenék sodic lake at the edge of a purchased oak wood (for more information see this page). The second observation tower was also completed by summer 2010 which was about to be installed in the north-eastern corner of the project site in cooperation with the local fishing society but the wet conditions prevented the installation.
In 2011: The visitor centre has been completed by 1st November 2011, and was formally handled to HEA at the end of 2011. Also furniture has been installed and the accommodation has a twin bed room. The spring aspect of the project site (bird migration) and then the restoration works will be perfectly visible from the visitor centre in 2012 so the delay of the building will not affect the project aims. Please visit the accommodation booking to see more images of the visitor centre.
Three information panels were created and two has already been installed at Nagy-szik and the third will be at the visitor centre when all field works have finished in the garden.
Picture: The visitor centre (Photo: János Oláh)
Picture: One of the three different information board installed in 2011 (Photo: János Oláh).
In 2012: The intended target of the action has been 95% achieved. Following the completion of the visitor centre in November 2011 we officially opened it in May 2012 on the combined event of the 20th anniversary of LIFE. The exhibition within the visitor centre about the Nagy-szik soda pan and the LIFE+ project was also opened on the same occasion in May. There is available detailed news on our website about this event.! The third information board was installed in the visitor centre garden in 2012. Also in 2012 the nature trail around the visitor centre was linked with the nature trail system of an 8 hectare neighbouring area where 4 more information boards were installed. Each of these information boards about the ‘bíbic’ nature trail system (supported by another EU project) also mentions the current HEA LIFE+ project on it. In 2012 HEA started to build a large 25 person-capacity observation tower in the frame of an EU Leader project. This will be completed by summer of 2013 and will be available for the LIFE+ project visitors as well.
Picture: 20th anniversary of LIFE event when the new visitor centre was officially opened (Photo: János Oláh)
Picture: The third information board installed in the garden of the visitor centre in 2012 (Photo: János Oláh).
Picture: The building of a 25 person-capacity observation tower was started in 2012 (Photo: János Oláh).
2013: In October 2013 employees and various local farmers connected to a LIFE+ project (LIFE10NAT/SK/000083) in Slovakia visited the project site and HEA has informed them about the project results. Visiting birdwatchers from all over the World were also informed continuously about the LIFE+ project from 2009 to 2013. The second observation tower was ready by the foreseen deadline but the installation was delayed because of the delayed field works. Because of the landscape value protection and to focus the visitors to the Visitor Centre which has a large enough land area to host big number of visitors - HEA decided to build one 25 person-capacity observation tower in the frame of an EU Leader project. This was completed in 2013 and will redeem three foreseen smaller observation towers of the LIFE+ project.