The decision of the President of National Nature Conservation Office (18/1976 OTvH) was published in the Councils' Official Gazette on December 28, 1976. That was about the establishment of the Bükk National Park protected area of 38,774.6 ha, with effect from January 1, 1977.
That was Hungary's third national and at the same time, it was the first in mountainous area.
The decision of the President of the National Nature Conservation Office (18/1976 OTvH) was published in the Councils'Official Gazette on December 28, 1976. That was about the establishment of the Bükk National Park protected area of 38,774.6 ha, with effect from January 1, 1977.
That was the country's third national and at the same time, it was the first in mountainous area.
The decision declaring the purpose of the Bükki National Park as protected area writes:
• Protect the characteristic and varied appearance of the Bükk central mountain landscape, its favorable natural features, and preserve its significant natural values:
• different rock formations, caves, caves, springs and streams;
• mountain meadows and pastures rich in Carpathian flora, typical and rare types of forests and stands, natural plant communities, and protected animal species.
• Preserve the cultural values of the landscape.
• Ensure the natural conditions necessary for scientific research.
• By preserving the natural environment, promote the cultured use of free time, recreation and experience in the outdoors.
• Serves tourism aimed at learning about natural and cultural values, and tourism.
• It serves as an environmental model area for the protection of our natural environment.
The Nature Conservation Act stipulates that a nature conservation management plan must be drawn up for all protected natural areas. The management plan for the Bükki National Park is currently being prepared. The draft (pdf), which is currently still subject to negotiation, can be downloaded here. Territorial dataThe territory of the national park was expanded twice after its foundation. The southwestern part of the Bél-kő quarry – with about 39.8 hectares - was annexed to the national park in 1984, of which 13,4 hectares are a protected area (OKTH decree 4/1984). A larger expansion took place In 1996, when the national park area was expanded with the 3019,8 hectare part of Southeastern-Bükk between Kisgyőr and Bükkszentkereszt villages (KTM decree 23/1996).Nowadays, the Bükk National Park covers almost the entire Bükk Mountain range, including its most beautiful parts, richest in natural values. According to legislation, the protected area of the national park is 42,269 hectares. Of this, 94.27% is forest, 3.35% is grassland (meadow and pasture), 1.95% is uncultivated land, 0.42% is arable land, and the remainder is barely 0.01% and it is made up of vineyards and orchards. The greater part of the protected area (65%) belongs to Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, while the smaller part (35%) belongs to Heves County. The national park is located in the administrative areas of the following settlements: Dédestapolcsány, Mályinka, Tardona, Varbó, Parasznya, Miskolc, Bükkszentkereszt, Kisgyőr, Sály, Kács, Cserépváralja, Cserépfalu, Bükkzsérc and Répáshuta in B-A-Z county, Eger, Felsőtárkány, Szarvaskő, Mónosbél, Bélapátfalva, Szilvásvárad and Nagyvisnyó while in Heves county.There are only three small settlements with a permanent population within the territory of the national park: Répáshuta, Ómassa and Felsőhámor (Lillafüred). Not only their entire outer area (border) is protected, but also their built-in inner area. The total number of inhabitants in the three settlements does not exceed 5,000 people, while the other settlements surrounding the BNP have a total of fifty times that number, about 250,000 people.97.7% of the protected area of the national park is owned by the state, managed almost exclusively by two forestry companies: Egererdő co.Ltd. on the western, and Északerdő co.Ltd. on the eastern side of Bükk Mountain. Only 2.5% of the protected area is managed by the BNP Directorate. Highly protected areasThere are areas of outstanding importance, bearing unique natural, cultural-historical and landscape values Within the Bükki National Park, which enjoy enhanced protection. In the area of the BNP, these are the following (in the OTvH decision 18/1976, 6009 hectares are listed as "strictly protected areas"):
Dédesvár and its surrounding,
Csondró Valley és a Látó-rocks,
Garadna hillside és a
Három-kúti Valley, the surface Szent István
cave in Lillafüred, Szinva hillside, Sebes-víz Valley, Jávorkút and its surrounding,
Nagy-mező, Balla Valley és a Csúnya
valley, and the area betweenKő-Valley near Cserépváralja,
Hór Valley, az Ablakos-kő Valley és a
Leány Valley, "Kövek" vonulata, Szalajka-völgy, Vár Hill at Felsőtárkány
villageVár hill and its surrounding
at Szarvaskő villageImó-Rock.the southwestern slope of
Bél-kő hill(13.4 hectares) after the enlargement of the national park area
in 1984.
The extent of the highly protected areas of Bükki National Park is therefore currently 6,009 hectares (according to OTvH decision 18/1976 and OKTH decree 4/1984).
According to Section 40 (1) of the Act LIII. of 1996 on nature conservation the highly protected natural area may only be entered with the permission of the national park authority. Exceptions are made by persons authorized to do so on the basis of separate legislation, but they too may only stay in a highly protected area to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties. Furthermore, this prohibition does not apply to marked tourist roads and cycle paths, as well as public roads. By observing those laws, rules and regulations, you can drive or go on excursions without a permit, but you must not deviate from the roads.
