One of Budapest’s largest remaining wetlands, the Merzse marsh in district XVII, is threatened with drying out. For years, the Municipality of Rákosmente has been trying to ensure the survival of the marsh, which is home to numerous protected animal and plant species, through habitat reconstruction programs and water replenishment. Last year, Budapest Airport joined this initiative; the company provided support of 10 million HUF to develop a rescue plan that can help preserve Budapest’s most undisturbed wetland, with the reconstruction of ditches to provide water replenishment.
The importance of the Merzse marsh as a habitat is illustrated by the fact that one-third of all European bird species, half of all bird species found in Hungary and 75% of all bird species in Budapest are found in this area, bud.hu wrote.
The ditches leading to the Merzse marsh are currently too deep to allow ground water and rainwater to remain in the marsh bed and provide suitable conditions for wildlife. As part of the landscape rehabilitation program, the ditches will be made shallower and wider, so that water will flow over the barrier layer, into the Merzse marsh bed, rather than under it. This method also goes beyond saving the Merzse Marsh: water retention can provide an effective, long-term solution not only to the restoration of the habitat in Rákosmente, but also to a much wider problem: droughts induced by climate change.
“Budapest Airport pays special attention to the residents living in the vicinity of the airport, and also to supporting good causes. One of these priority projects is saving one of Budapest’s last marshes in district XVIIt, in the immediate vicinity of the airport,” said Katalin Valentínyi, the chief communication and government relations officer of Budapest Airport. She added: “If we don’t act now, this special area will not be known to our children and grandchildren as a marsh, only as a dry, arid area. It is very important to support such important ecological issues as soon as possible, and this demonstrates our commitment to the environment as well.”
“I am very pleased to see the exemplary cooperation between Budapest Airport, Rákosmente and the town of Ecser, thanks to which the permit design documentation for water replenishment to the Merzse marsh has been completed,” emphasized Tamás Horváth, the mayor of Rákosmente, at a press conference on Friday. He added: “Today we have reached a milestone on the road to saving this wetland habitat and rehabilitating its wildlife. I would like to thank Budapest Airport for its contribution and Zsolt Gál, the mayor of Ecser, for his support.”
The necessary preparatory surveys and environmental impact assessments have been successfully completed, so that on-site works can start soon, in possession of the necessary authority permits. As a result of the project, aquatic amphibians, reptiles and birds will be able to return to the marsh, and, if the water is sufficiently deep and durable, fish species typical of this type of habitat will be reintroduced. Examples of protected plant species observed along the Merzse marsh and the Little Merzse include the white helleborine and the common cottongrass, while protected amphibians and reptiles include the agile frog, the European fire-bellied toad, the smooth newt and the European pond turtle. Field surveys in 2023 revealed the presence of aquatic bird species, such as the Western marsh harrier, the marsh warbler, the Eurasian coot and the widely known grey heron. The two highly protected species in the area are the European bee-eater and the Eurasian scops owl.
The works will start in the winter of 2025-2026, given that both flora and fauna are more inactive at this time of year than during the warm months. Animals hide or move to warmer climates during the winter and tree canopies are sparse at this time, which offers technical advantages, in addition to conservation benefits. Experts will designate the routes of construction machinery so that native plant species should remain unaffected, as far as possible.
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