5. Nature and Biodiversity Refer to Section 2.5 of the Guidance Note

5A. Present Situation

Please complete the following table providing the most recent data that is available:

Table 1: Benchmarking Data - Nature and Biodiversity Indicator Number Total Area (ha) Year of Data Provided

Number and total area of Natura 2000 sites that are located in the city or nearby (i.e. within 10 km)

4 47,581.47 (5,935.95 within the territory

of Pécs) 2019

Number and total area of designated sites of national biodiversity importance within the city (habitat/species management areas)

61 80,537.71 (5,935.95 within the territory

of Pécs) 2019

Number and total area of designated sites of local (city) biodiversity importance within the city (habitat/species management areas)

21 334.99 2019

Date and time horizon of your city’s Biodiversity Action Plan *in progress - -

* In July 2019, our city entered into an agreement with the Herman Ottó Institute Ltd. to develop the city’s biodiversity strategy (deadline: 31/12/2019).

Describe how nature and biodiversity is monitored, protected and managed in your city, and how local people are engaged in nature conservation and biodiversity action.

Please provide details of the following:

1. Maps showing protected sites, habitats, ecosystems or biotopes; 2. Examples of species and habitat monitoring programmes; 3. Current strategies, plans and projects for the management of ecological networks, key sites, and priority

species; 4. The city’s approach to involving and engaging residents, visitors, business and institutions in planning and

action for nature.

(max. 600 words and five graphics, images or tables)

Map 1: Natura 2000 sites nearby Pécs

Map 2: Sites of National Biodiversity Importance at Pécs City

Map 3: Sites of Local Biodiversity Importance at Pécs City

Map 4: Ecosystems of Pécs City

Guidance documents on nature conservation

National Biodiversity Strategy (NBS) 2015-2020 National Nature Conservation Master Plan 2015-2020.

Relation to international goals

The NBS is in line with the Biodiversity Strategy of the Convention of Biological Diversity 2011-2020, and also with the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020.

Our natural heritage

The attached maps illustrate the natural heritage. The Spatial Plan of the City of Pécs contains 5,872 ha of ecological network.

Nature conservation and monitoring

• The Danube-Drava National Park Directorate (NP) is responsible for the nature conservation and management of protected national and international areas within the administrative territory of Pécs and fulfils the following tasks:

• monitoring flora and fauna • referring development and management proposals to the government • budget needs for conservation • guarding the areas • monitoring the state of biodiversity • education activities.

Our natural heritage and its main documents

There is a management plan (2014) for the Pécs Plateau (HUDD20066) Special Area of Conservation and for the Western Mecsek Landscape Protection Area compiled by the NP Directorate. The Municipality of Pécs has developed a management plan for 21 protected natural values of local importance at 334.99 ha (2016).

Nature conservation and biodiversity

Our natural and economic values include the Research Institute for Viticulture and Oenology, which was founded 70 years ago. With 1,500 varieties, it is the sixth largest grapevine gene bank in the world in terms of size and variety collection.

Relationship between natural heritage and the public

A total of 850.8 km of hiking trails (4) are located in the forest areas of the Mecsek. Length of hiking trails belonging to the city: 174 km. Our hiking trails:

• Wind through semi-natural forest areas • Their nature trails provide hikers with information on protected plants and animals. • They are available via more than 20 local bus routes.

The significant local organisation of the Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society (MMTE) has 830 members, who perform the following tasks:

• bird counting projects, • bird ringing projects, • organising nature conservation camps, • raising public awareness.

Importance and elements of raising public awareness

With regards to nature conservation and biodiversity, the city has several levels of education:

• Green Kindergarten and Bird Kindergarten activities for kindergartens, aimed at promoting the protected values of the local wildlife. We have 27 kindergartens with Green Kindergarten certifications.

• For schools, environment and nature-oriented education complement the basic curriculum. 18 of the primary schools are certified Eco-Schools.

• Nature protection educational activities are provided by the Pécs ZOO (6)

Annual announcement of environmental and nature conservation applications for schools and kindergartens from the municipal budget. Supported goals include:

• building bug hotels, • building bird feeders for wintering birds, • from this year on, supporting the purchase of artificial nests for swallow species. We want to increase the

number of swallows so that they can provide ecological services (chemical-free insect control) throughout the city.

5B. Past Performance

Describe how your city created and developed its measures to protect and improve nature and biodiversity over the last five to ten years. Comment on how effective these have been.

1. Indicate changes in the extent of sites and ecological network protected for nature and biodiversity (e.g. Natura 2000 network of sites);

2. Illustrate habitat and species trends using collected monitoring data; 3. Give examples of conservation actions to manage and restore sites and habitats, and redress species,

including any measures introduced to control invasive non-native species; 4. Explain how the city encourages nature in other open spaces. Has naturalisation been encouraged outside

of formal nature reserves? 5. What communication and educational activities have been introduced to promote awareness of nature

and biodiversity among the public, including young people?

(max. 1,200 words and five graphics, images or tables)

Local regulations Since 2011, the protected areas of local significance in the city add up to 334.99 ha. Natural heritage and its management In the case of protected areas of local importance, management tasks are carried out by the Chief Forester, the Head Gardener of Biokom and their staff by Decree 23/2016.

• they monitor the status of protected values, • propose necessary plant protection interventions, • propose budget needs • management of 701.22 ha of semi-natural urban forest in line with Objectives 1 and 3 of the EU

Biodiversity Strategy, • 355 ha of which are Natura 2000 sites, • 407 ha belong to the Western Mecsek Landscape Protection Area. This is where our first project was

implemented in 2014 to fight invasive species. Large numbers of the invasive Ailanthus altissima have been identified and removed. The dredging of the flooded Égervölgy wetland reservoir protects alder forest and provides breeding habitats for amphibians.

• placement of bird nests, bat roosts, bird feeders and waterers to promote biodiversity. In 2017, Biokom was awarded the second highest nature conservation award, the Pro Natura Memorial Plaque from the Government. Areas of community and national significance

The boundaries of Natura 2000 sites and protected areas of national significance have not changed over the last 10 years. In 2013, a re-classification of corridor areas of the ecological network into core areas was carried out to enhance the level of protection. (Map 5).

Map 5: Ecological network improvements in western Pécs

Increase in ecological protection status of the Pellérdi Meadows by reclassifying (2012) areas classified as ecological corridors into core areas The system for monitoring protected areas

Hungary has ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1994 and declared it in Act No. 81 of 1995, assuming legal responsibility for its implementation. Act No. 53 of 1996 on the nature conservation makes provision for surveying and sampling biological diversity for the purposes of nature conservation. Today the Hungarian Biodiversity Monitoring System (HBMS has more than 20 years of experience on monitoring for conservation.

The Hungarian Biodiversity Monitoring System (HBMS) has sampling plots inside Pécs city of which provides perfect examples to demonstrate the positive biodiversity trends of the area. Büdöskúti-zsomboly is the most important known bat breeding cave of the Mecsek Mountain. Based on the 13 years of HBMS monitoring in this permanent study site beside of two outstanding bat species (the strictly protected Plecotus auritus and the protected Myotis bechsteinii) ten other species were observed. Plant rarities are: the beautiful “Leopard's bane” (Doronicum orientale) and the “Pécsi zergevirág” (Doronicum sopianae), the latter can be found only here in the world. Their populations have been monitored since 2009 and the surveys show that their populations are stable in the region.

The Siberian lily (Iris sibirica) is a good indicator of climate change. Within the Pécs city area its population has increased approximately five times since 2003.

Biodiversity and the urbanisation of wildlife

There are conflicts of interest between city dwellers and urbanised animals worldwide. A few years ago the former, large colony of rooks was disturbed. The results:

• several smaller colonies in new locations • at the new locations there is public resistance due to the noise and excrement • we have to deal with public complaints and protect the rook stock under protection at the same time

In 2015, the city created a tree alley and grove of young sycamore trees away from residential buildings with the intention of providing an ideal home for the former problematic (noisy and disturbing) large colony of rooks (Corvus frugilegus).Between 2017 and 2018, the nesting stock increased from 479 to 603(+ 25.9%). Long-eared owls and common kestrels are found in rook nests in more and more locations. In 2018, the estimated common kestrel stock of Pécs amounted to 10 pairs.

Increasing green areas The rehabilitation of brown-field areas is an excellent example of increasing the size of green areas. Planting native plant species can result in the creation of rehabilitated areas where the fauna will eventually colonise. Necessary interventions have been completed on 83.3% of the mining areas to be rehabilitated, exceeding expectations set out in the EU Biodiversity Strategy. The restoration of the Karolina excavation began in February 2018:

• the 120 ha area, adjacent to the Western Mecsek Landscape Protection Area, may become a habitat again after recultivation.

• 9.6 million m3 of mining waste will be refilled into the pit, and a humus cover will provide the vegetation with the necessary planting medium.

• It will also eliminate the dust emission of the mine pit.

Picture 1: Filling in a mine pit in the Karolina excavation means a brownfield area can be reclaimed by nature

Active involvement of NGOs in local nature conservation The Pécsbányatelep chestnut forest is one of the areas of local significance:

• A unique, coherent chestnut gallery forest of 6.1 hectares, with a varietal purity of 95%. • The sweet chestnut is a native tree. Over the last 150-200 years, its spread has been steadily decreasing

and becoming fragmented. Its rehabilitation is mainly thanks to the love and appreciation of the locals. • In the early 1990s, chestnut trees were attacked by a fungal disease, which caused significant damage. • The trees were unguarded and illegal harvesters used sticks to harvest chestnuts. It was easy for the fungal

disease to spread in the inflected bark wounds. • The stock consists of 50-60 remaining large trees and approx. 250 young saplings. In 2015, the municipality leased the chestnut forest to the Pécsbánya Cultural Association. The results: • the area is maintained by a NGO • it arranges plant protection interventions for sick trees • Experts from the University of Debrecen have been applying biocontrol treatments to the trees for 5 years • Tree harvesting is done by 10 disadvantaged local families under controlled conditions. • Under the name Chestnut Grove Festival, the association has been organising a series of events to raise

awareness of chestnut trees and enhance local identity for the fourth year running. • The fruit is sold at festivals and other city events in the form of roasted chestnuts.

Community cooperation and commitment in our city The almond tree, located in front of the Church of the Blessed Virgin on the site of Tettye-Havihegy, a locally important protected area, has been a delight for visitors and tourists for 135 years. In this city of over 2,000 years, almond blossom has been a symbol of eternal renewal and literacy since Janus Pannonius, a bishop and poet of Pécs, wrote his poem on an almond tree in 1466. No wonder that after the initiative of an NGO this symbolic tree won the National Tree of the Year contest in 2018 and the European Tree of the Year contest in 2019 with 45,132 votes (3). In a city of 144,000, this number means that not only has this tree historic and natural value, it has a power to connect people to each other. This almond tree is the best demonstration of the city’s commitment to protecting and developing natural values.

Picture 2: The contest winning almond tree

The almond tree that won the 2019 Tree of the Year Europe contest has become the symbol of the renewal of

nature and of community collaboration.

5C. Future Plans

Describe the city’s short and long term ambitions and objectives for nature and biodiversity and how these proposals will be achieved. Indicate strategic and policy commitments, budget allocations and monitoring and performance evaluation schemes. Include references to any plans, projects or activities supporting the conservation of wild bees and pollinators. Demonstrate how this work coincides with the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy, Nature Directives and other relevant Directives such as sustainable use of pesticides and complementary national strategies.

(max. 800 words and five graphics, images or tables)

Our environmental programme, which is currently being updated, will include objectives for nature conservation and biodiversity with a schedule and a quantification of budgetary needs. Many of these elements are already decided upon. Biodiversity Strategy:

The most important element is the preparation of the Biodiversity Strategy, on which the Herman Otto Institute has been working on our request since mid-2019. The material will provide a systematic overview of existing values and steps required to preserve and enhance biodiversity.

Thematic website We intend to create a thematic page on the city’s website discussing environmental issues and nature conservation where the public can access interesting and important information about the city’s natural and built environment and the plants and animals that live with us. Supporting the nesting of swallows In Hungary, the population of swallows in urban areas has decreased. Our city wants to join the swallow protection programme launched by MMTE.

• We are examining the possibilities of placing artificial nests on the offices and institutions maintained by the municipality,

• to map the sites the swallows acquire mud from, • creating cost-effective mud sources along urban watercourses. • At the expense of our Environmental Fund, we launch a nature conservation tender for educational

institutions to fund their bird-related activities.

Bats Improving the living conditions of protected bats to increase their numbers is another opportunity for biological insect control whilst enhancing biodiversity:

• educational materials on the thematic webpage • Through the educational and educational programme of the Pécs Zoo • Mapping potential locations for artificial bat roost placement throughout the city in order to involve

residents.

Picture 3: Installing bat roosts can help us take the right step toward chemical-free insect control (photo: Zoltán Orbán)

Pigeon Control The overgrown population of domestic pigeons may also pose a public health risk due to the diseases they carry and the pathogens in their faeces, so we aim to:

• decrease the population to a balanced stock size • with a humane, chemical- and drug-free method, • without endangering other bird populations.

In this framework, we will create lofts that provide nesting places for 50 to 100 laying hens in public areas or on private properties near the focal points. The original egg is taken from under the nesting bird and replaced by a plaster egg. As the female is not fertile during nesting, two successive offspring may be lost at the same time. Rooks Since 2013, we have been trying to reduce the conflict of interest between the population and the protected rooks, taking nature conservation interests into account. The thematic webpage will also make available the educational material produced by MMTE. Bus stops with green roofs Our goal is to create extensive green roofs on the roof surfaces of the 96 new bus stops waiting to be installed. In addition to aesthetic aspects, the primary goal is to increase the active green space and support the beneficial insects attracted by the plants, e.g. the bees that are currently in drastic decline. We also intend to promote water retention via the water retaining capacities and the buffer capacity of planting medium, also improving the microclimate of the affected area. Thanks to this, 480m2 of green space can be created Borderless Biodiversity project:

Our municipality, together with the Croatian Papuk National Park, will implement the following project elements from 2020 within the framework of the Interreg V / A Croatian-Hungarian Cross-border Cooperation Programme from 2020-2022:

1. Investigation of the ecological diversity of the Mecsek-Papuk region, the selection of native medicinal plants recommended for cultivation in the area between the Mecsek and the Papuk mountains.

2. Preparation of educational materials related to medicinal plants recommended for cultivation.. 3. Cultivation trainings for 20 people: The study on the technology of cultivating medicinal plant species that

can be cultivated around the Mecsek Mountains, as part of the project, is the basis for the specialized education of herbalists.

4. Designing the place of cultivation: In the Malomvölgy Botanical Garden, a model garden will be created with a mobile wooden house of approximately 150 m2, which will accommodate education and storage.

The main motivation of introducing biological mosquito control and expanding public awareness-raising (9) is decreasing the amount of used chemicals thus preventing irreversible damage inflicted on the populations of other insect species. Over the past 3 years, detailed mosquito population mapping has been carried out to investigate the appearance and distribution of different mosquito species in the different parts of the city. Based on the study data, by 2020, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis-based (BTI) control may be applied instead of the previous chemical control.

5D. References

List supporting documentation, adding links where possible. Further detail may be requested during the pre-selection phase. Documentation should not be forwarded at this stage.

(max. 400 words)

(1) http://ddnp.nemzetipark.gov.hu/_user/browser/File/kn/2019_kn_pecs_iskolas_kepes.pdf

(2)http://ddnp.nemzetipark.gov.hu/_user/browser/File/NATURA2000/p%C3%A9csis%C3%ADk/HUDD20066_fenntartasiterv.pdf

(3)https://www.treeoftheyear.org/Vysledky?lang=en-US

(4) https://www.baranyatermeszetbarat.hu/index.php/regionk/turitautak-jegyzeke/9-mecsek

(5) https://www.pecsma.hu/top/elkezdodott-karolina-kulfejtes-betemetese/

(6) http://pecszoo.hu/

(7) https://szbki.pte.hu/tartalom/bemutatkozas_1

(8) https://www.mme.hu/binary_uploads/5_kornyezeti_neveles/orban_zoltan_madarbarat_telepulesfejlesztes_konyv_1.kiadas.pdf

(9) http://www.pecs.hu/tartalmak/Tajekoztato_a_szunyogok_elleni_vedekezesrol

Word Count Check

Please complete the below word count check for Indicator 5: Nature and Biodiversity, Sections 5A, 5B and 5C.

As per the Guidance Note (Annex 2 of the Rules of Contest), the word count includes text in graphics/tables and the body of text. The word count excludes text in the original application form, captions and text in Table 1: Benchmarking Data - Nature and Biodiversity.

Section Number of words in graphics/tables

Number of words in body of text

Total number of words in graphics/tables and body of text

Max. words

5A 130 467 597 600 5B 35 1107 1142 1,200 5C 0 737 737 800