“Protecting nature and the environment is a matter of national importance for the Government. The level of environmental development projects being realised during the current EU programming period exceeds all previous levels”, Minister of Agriculture Sándor Fazekas said at an event on Saturday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Danube-Ipoly National Park.
43.5 billion forints (EUR 141.2 million) in development projects are underway in the country’s ten national parks. 30 billion forints were spend on environmental protection during the previous programming period and the state of some 100 thousand hectares of natural habitat was successfully restored, Mr. Fazekas added.
“The site in Dömös will serve as a worthy location for the Danube Bend Visitors’ Centre”, the Minister said. The project, which will be completed in 2019, is the latest in a series of presentation centres established by the Danube-Ipoly National park Directorate. The projects fills a gap, because at the moment there is no high quality, interactive and innovative, internationally significant facility capable of receiving visitors and presenting natural values on the territory of the national park, and which could also play the role of an environmental protection and eco-tourism knowledge centre, he explained.
The Minister officially opened the third stop in the National Park Trademark Tour, and presented National Park Trademark certificates to the producers of local craft products that present unique local characteristics. 158 craftsmen have so far been presented with National Park Trademarks, and they offer some 600 different products, he explained.
Director of the Danube-Ipoly National Park András Füri told reporters that the Danube Bend Visitors’ Centre will be completed by September 2019 on a 2.5 hectare plot adjacent to the ferry station in Dömös at a cost of 1.3 billion forints.
An exhibition are will be realised in the main building of the Visitors’ Centre, as well as a 150-seat conference hall. Two smaller buildings will host group events and smaller professional meetings. The other main element of the Centre will be a garden that includes an education tour shaped like the Danube and adjacent protected areas, a petting zoo and bird house. Visitors will also be able to rent bicycles and canoes.
The area’s Member of Parliament, Deputy Justice Minister Pál Völner highlighted the fact that the projects fits into the series of tourism development projects being realised in the area of the Danube Bend, within the framework of which the forestry authority has renewed the tourist trekking route at the popular Rám Gorge, the ferry station in Dömös has been renovated, and the EuroVelo bicycle route along the Danube will also soon be completed.
The Government recently decided on the realisation of projects totalling 70 billion forints in the region, and 17 billion forints of the budget will be available for use by the city of Esztergom, the MP said.
The Danube-Ipoly National Park, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, occupies the Börzsöny, Pilis and Visegrád Hills areas, and the Ipoly Valley, including 48 settlements in three counties. The Park’s events and displays were visited by 218 thousand people in 2016.