News

A new European Union consultation has been launched on the future application of the "Do No Significant Harm" (DNSH) principle for the 2028–2034 period.

A new study by H. M. Odongo, M. Halassy, A. M. Csergő and K. Török, published in Plants, examined how consistently differences among populations of Festuca vaginata—a dominant grass of Hungary's open sandy grasslands—persist when plants are grown under common environmental conditions.

A new scientific paper led by our colleagues at the HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research has been published in Conservation Biology. The study provides important insights into how biodiversity-friendly management can contribute to effective nature conservation and restoration.

Ecological restoration rarely follows a predictable path. Climate change, invasive species, pollution and other external pressures mean that restoration must be planned with uncertainty in mind. The final publication in our Policy Brief Series examines how the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) supports adaptive, science-based restoration...

Cities are often seen as places apart from nature, yet urban ecosystems play a vital role in supporting biodiversity, improving climate resilience and enhancing people's well-being. The fourth publication in our Policy Brief Series explores how the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) puts urban nature firmly on the restoration agenda for...

Forests are among Europe's most valuable ecosystems, providing habitat for countless species, storing carbon, regulating water and supporting human well-being. Yet they are increasingly threatened by intensive management, climate change, droughts, pests and wildfires. The third publication in our Policy Brief Series examines how the EU...

Successful ecosystem restoration starts long before the first seed is sown. A newly published Biodiversa+ policy brief highlights why the availability of native, locally adapted seeds is one of the biggest challenges facing nature restoration in Europe and beyond. With restoration efforts set to expand under the EU Nature Restoration...

A new briefing published by the European Habitats Forum (EHF) highlights inspiring examples of successful nature restoration projects from across Europe, demonstrating that ecological restoration is not only possible but already delivering tangible benefits for biodiversity, climate resilience and local communities. The publication comes at a...

Agricultural landscapes are among Europe's most important ecosystems, yet they have experienced dramatic declines in biodiversity over recent decades. The second publication in our Policy Brief Series explores how the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) can help reverse these trends while contributing to climate resilience, healthier soils and...

The implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) is entering a crucial phase across Europe. To support policymakers, practitioners, researchers and all those involved in restoration, the SER Europe Legal Working Group has published a series of concise policy briefs that unpack some of the Regulation's most important legal...

The third edition of the International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration has been published in the latest special issue of Restoration Ecology. Developed by the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) in collaboration with leading experts worldwide, the updated guidance provides a comprehensive, evidence-based...

The latest episode of the Greenfo podcast, Nature Restoration in Hungary: A Shared Responsibility, A Local Task, explores the opportunities and challenges of implementing the EU Nature Restoration Regulation in Hungary. The discussion was recorded during the 35th National Meeting of Hungarian Green Civil Organisations held in Szentendre in May 2026...

The past few years of extreme drought in Hungary have made the problem of climate change — which has actually been ongoing for decades — tangible for many people. The importance of water retention is receiving increasing attention, and regulatory and practical measures have been launched to conserve water in the landscape. While the sight of...

On May 12, 2026, the European Commission launched a public consultation regarding the review of the Birds and Habitats Directives. The comments and suggestions received will serve as the basis for the fitness check of the Directives.

Expert speaker Kris Decleer introduces Landscape Ecological System Analysis (LISA) as a structured, science-based approach to assessing restoration needs across landscapes, alongside the concept of the Favorable Reference Area (FRA) as a way to define restoration ambition and long-term ecological viability. The session also raises concerns that...

At the 200th anniversary conference of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), our group member Melinda Halassy delivered a lecture on the scientific foundations and practical implications of ecological restoration in the early 21st century. Framing restoration as the "acid test of ecology," she highlighted the importance of community assembly...

The SER-Europe Legal Working Group (LWG) has published a series of six policy briefs examining the legal and governance implications of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR). The series offers targeted analysis across key sectors, including agriculture, forestry, marine and urban ecosystems, protected species, and restoration planning and...

One of our group members, Anna Kövendi-Jakó, received funding through the Academy's grant program for researchers raising children. The support was awarded for preparing a scientific paper on testing seed transfer zones based on the palnt traits of sandy species.

On April 17, the latest episode of the ÖKé! podcast, "The Foundations of Our Life: Ecosystem Services", will be released. Dr. Péter Koncz, a member of our group and ecological expert at the HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, explains the natural processes that are essential for understanding both human well-being and the functioning of...

In addition to climate change and our ecological footprint, economic uncertainties, social inequalities, and public health challenges are increasingly intertwined—this complex phenomenon is known as a polycrisis, a global-scale problem. The "Polycrisis Conference" sought answers to this urgent situation, examining the greatest crisis of the 21st...

EU Nature Restoration Regulation in Hungary: Insights from ÖBI Seminar In the latest ÖBI seminar, Melinda Halassy presented "Implementing the Nature Restoration Regulation: Where Do We Stand?", offering a clear snapshot of how the EU's Nature Restoration Regulation is being put into practice. She outlined the EU framework and guidance, detailed...

In this study, the authors explored how plants allocate biomass belowground by examining species-specific and community-level root mass fractions in a semiarid sandy grassland. They also investigated whether changes at the community level are driven more by shifts in species composition or by how individual species respond to altered precipitation...

Our colleague, Amira Vörös (advised by György Kröel-Dualy and Tibor Kalapos), successfully defended her doctoral dissertation today, entitled

In a recent study published in Global Ecology and Conservation, our group investigated how short-term seed storage and the timing of seeding influence the restoration of open sand grasslands, using accessions from the Pannon Seed Bank.

Our research group participates the project "Foundations for the strategic planning of ecosystem services-based green infrastructure developments supported by regularly updated datasets" (ÖSZ-ZI, KEHOP_PLUSZ-3.2.2-24-2024-00002)

The European Commission has recently opened two forums for expressing opinions.