Background Even though the Hortobagy National Park continues to be one of the best places to observe steppe and wetland birds in Central Europe, its conservation status is far from assured. Land use in the area has undergone many changes since World War II. As traditional steppe grazing disappeared, plans were made to convert the abandoned steppe into a vast expanse of rice fields. Though the project failed, the measures taken continue to spoil the landscape and disrupting the natural surface hydrology. As a result, the complex steppe/marsh mosaic, which is responsible for the temporary expanses of shallow water that form the foundation of Hortobagy's biodiversity, have been now disrupted and populations of steppe birds (including the great bustard) have decreased. Objectives There were two main objectives of the project: • Preclude and reverse the unfavourable ecological processes happening in the eco-region. • Restore and rehabilitate the puszta and wetland habitats exploited by bird species nearly extinct. Establishing a farming system was considered essential for the long-term management of the project area. Plans included the purchase of traditional cattle breeds (such as Hungarian grey and flecked cattle, mangalica pigs, racka sheep and goats) and the building of shelters. Land was to be leased to cultivate the winter fodder so that animals can be kept on site year-round to maintain a high grazing pressure (vital for obtaining the right vegetation structure for the avifauna). Two full-time jobs were to be created for the surveillance of the cattle. The grazing system, to be set up by an innovative partnership between NGOs and the local farm business sector, was intended to be financially self-sustaining by the end of the project in 2006. To meet the second objective, the project aimed to restore the natural steppe and wetland habitats within the project area. This included the removal of shrubbery from 400-500 ha of degraded steppe, the restoration of the natural soil topography on more than 1000 ha of steppe and the creation of a shallow 200 ha wetland. The latter action was based on the success of a similar wetland creation project carried out in 1994. Results The project was successful in eliminating all unfavourable impacts on the project site, including periodical aridification of the area and harmful agricultural practices. The project’s objectives were achieved through actions taken on the 2,000 ha of salt steppe, where 288 plant species were recorded during the project period. On the site, shallow-water habitats were enlarged from 37 hectares to 295 hectares, through inundations and the elimination of channels. Continuing to eliminate paddy field and irrigation systems in the pusztas of Hortobágy will not only protect wetland habitat, but also facilitate rainwater retention. Another significant result of the project was the introduction of sustainable management practices to the rehabilitated steppes and marshes. Drawing up a plan for the protection of the characteristic bird species of Hortobágy has already significantly improved the biodiversity of the area. The project also showed the benefits of a high level of grazing of livestock of mixed breeds and the importance of organic animal herding in the conservation of steppes and marshes. The breeding density of birds was proven to be closely related to the intensity of grazing in a given area. Farmers in the Hortobágy will remain competitive only by practising organic animal husbandry. The project was a small step towards introducing organic farming to the entire puszta and its buffer zones (a total of 170,000 hectares). The project also showed the benefit of dividing up the area into particular “ecoregions”. Identifying areas with similar ecological challenges will allow the beneficiary to better adapt the protection measures it introduces. More than 8,000 people visited the project site and listened to presentations on the work undertaken. As part of this aspect of the project, the dirt road system around the area was built up, and visitors now have the opportunity to study the wildlife of the wetland habitat from observation hides. Finally, the project produced a pictorial guide to grazing levels in pannonic Solonetz salt steppes and marshes and a handbook to the birds found in the area. Results were also widely distributed through the project’s website, newspaper articles, broadcast media and the promotion of eco-tourism.