We must bring back the knowledge of renowned predecessors in forest and game management to the 2021 world exhibition, the government commissioner responsible for the implementation of the series of events related to the One with Nature World of Hunting and Nature Exhibition on Thursday in Kismaros.

At the inauguration of the Kittenberg memorial forest in Kismaros, Zoltán Kovács said today’s is the 14th memorial forest inauguration with which the government wants to pay tribute all at once to the 1971 Budapest World Hunting Exhibition and the world exhibition to be held in 2021. He added that they would like to continue the tradition launched in 1971 with the planting of forests, planting one hectare of forest in the territory of every state forestry in tribute to those who created and pursue the traditions of forest and game management.

Mr Kovács said Kálmán Kittenberg along with István Fekete and Zsigmond Széchenyi constitute a special bridge in creating the traditions of Hungarian forest and game management, extending from aristocratic management practices to property-owning forest management customs later. He added that during the period ahead our task will be not only to remember these symbolic figures, but to bring back to the 2021 world exhibition the knowledge and traditions which they created and which have also emerged in other regions around the world.

Sándor Szentpéteri, Deputy State Secretary for Forests at the Ministry of Agriculture said based on our inherited traditions, last year the Ministry launched a national afforestation programme, and as the first step of this, they set afforestation unit prices in a way which makes the planting of forests an attractive option for farmers. He added that, thanks to this, so far, applications for grants have been received in respect of the planting of 24,000 hectares of forests. Additionally, the 22 state forestries also launched a model afforestation programme, as part of which 550 hectares of forests have been planted, and another 500 hectares will be planted in the future, the Deputy State Secretary for Forests added.

(MTI/Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister)