Environmental education programs

Environmental education programs

The park infrastucture involves the visitor center, exhibition and demonstration sites, nature trails, the forest school. The environmental education programs are characterised by two peak periods for groups.

1.

Spring (April, May) - Day trips for school and kindergarden groups, forest schools, field trips, competitions, courses, thematic days.

2.

Autumn (September, October, November) - Day trips for school and kindergarden groups, forest schools, field trips. Summer camp program series and special days add colour to the intervening periods.

• School excursions (kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, college and university groups): groups optionally need guiding, but mostly take advantage of our rich information resources (publications, the webpage, e-books and exhibition brochures).
• Field trips, internships: Some groups (usually high school students and those of higher education institutions) focus on particular topics (habitats, botany, hiking, etc.) and visit the areas accordingly, occasionally asking for specialist guides.  We can also provide internships for a limited number of secondary and higher education students.
• Forest schools and kindergartens: An increasing number of institutes visit us to enjoy the facilities of the Fecskeház Forest School in Máta. The building, financed by the EU, was completed in 2007.
• Competitions:  Trying to reach an ever widening audience,  we organise thematic quizzes and competitions every year (on nature conservation, ethnography, habitats, dance, creative competitions).
• Additional training: Training tour guides for the Hortobágy and the Lake Tisza. We aim to provide appropriate skills related to the Hortobágy and the Lake Tisza for people in ecotourism, so that they can provide professional information for visitors.
• Market days, presentations: There is a growing demand for the presence of the HNPD  to introduce itself at varied events of the local communities (municipalities, schools, kindergartens etc.). We participate in these events with publications, crafts workshops and players creating opportunities for direct communication.
• Talks: We give talks in clubs, schools and other forums
• Exhibitions: organisation of temporary exhibitions or for a given date, location or topic, traveling exhibitions on a specific topic.
• Public holidays and special days: Organisation and implementation of thematic days (eg. Day of Birds and Trees), theme of the year series (eg. 2014 was the Otto Herman Memorial Year), program sequences (eg. Green Santa, Youth Ranger Program)
• Camps: we organise 3-4 summer camps  for various age groups on different topics (family camps, bird ringing camps, traditionalist camps, animal care camps).
• In August, in collaboration with Debrecen Summer University we organise a joint camp in Hortobágy. All visitors are welcome!
• Thematic days

Market days in schools involve all the classes where we deal with natural and cultural values of Hortobágy matching it to the curriculum of each grade.

Normally, only HNPD staff and professionals perform duties related to environmental education in the facilities within the operational region of the HNPD. However, such activities can be carried out by other organizations in compliance with the rules set by the HNPD (see HNPD Visiting Regulations, Hortobágy and Lake Tisza tour guide training courses). The HNPD is trying to ensure that its own programs and professional staff provide a quality service for interested guests.