Göncöl Foundation is a Hungarian conservation,
environmental and cultural organisation, independent of
any political or commercial interest. It was founded to
preserve and engender nature, social and human values.
“Live just like a forest and the forest will survive” Field education facilities
Conservation and EnvironmentPublic Library
Boardwalk in the Flooded Forest
Geological Museum and Exhibition
Community Learning Group
Regional StudiesInstitute
Editorial andPublishing Office67 Váci street, 1134 Budapest,HungarySüni magazine and Vadon magazine
Main Office, Göncöl House3 Ilona street, 2600 Vác, Hungary
(national monument)
Field Education Centre inBakony Mountains
Kilátó Gallery, Margaret Island,Budapest (national monument):a gallery for contemporary
art exhibitions
Göncöl is the Hungarian name for a part of the constellation Ursa Maior. This is the broken-perched carriage
of a sacred healer in the pre-Christian mythology (“táltos” in Hungarian) called Göncöl, who carried the reme-
dies for all human woe in his carriage and helped peoples. The word Göncöl means caring and carrying both.
Göncöl FoundationMember of IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature
Göncöl bemutatkozás angol végleges:Elrendezés 1 2011.01.27. 21:26 Oldal 1
Member of
Spatial p
lanning and conflict managementField Research
for biodiversity and sustainability
Regional Studies Institute of Göncöl Foundation is contributing to adesired society, which preserve its heritage and based on it. There is anunresolved, growing, internal conflict in environmental policies between conservationefforts and increasing demand for exploitation of natural resources, and more thereare growing number of stakeholders and type of rights and permits given to use landand resources.
Regional Studies Institute is seated in Vác, the main work area is the central partof North Hungary and South Slovakia. It has an “onion-skin” structure: core researchteam, contracted scientists and network of students. It is applying natural, culturaland social heritage based approach and planning methodologies with active participation of stakeholders. It is providing field courses and practices as background institute of the St. Stephan University of Gödöllõ.
Field research and database• Collecting fresh row data as detailed as it is
possible in the given case• Forming highly structured data-base • High tech processing and presenting
Involvement of stakeholders• Providing the possible highest level of
information and dissemination services • Reconciliation procedure among
stakeholders with strong public participation• Conflict management along shared interests • Encouraging parties for voluntary agreements • Facilitating passage of binding rules
On going activities. • Alteration of navigation track of Danube
river • Monitoring and management of gallery
forests and other riparian ecosystems • Landscape inventories and reconstruction
plans especially for open mine pits
Coming tasks:• Publishing main achievements, and making
accessible data-base for interested parties• Shifting from project based management to
programmes based one•Involving in European mean programs as
Natura 2000, ecological networks, etc. • Developing technical circumstances and
scientific qualification • Elaborating methodologies for strategic
impact analysis, territorial sustainability plans
Planning types and main achievementsPerfect planning: When thearea, subjects and duties areexact. The Szent endrei-island is the main drinking waterreserve of Budapest. Sustainable land-use planning took 3 years for 60stakeholders and scientists.Passed by the EnvironmentCommittee of the Parliament in1999.
Open planning: When the key parameters are open.Environment Plan of Nógrád county integrated 15 subjectsand 127 communities. County Council put it in force in2000.
Surveying larger areas:Habitat mapping in
Cserhát area, ecologicalnetwork of Ipoly region.
Site plans: Ramsar site proposal of Hugyag-marches, Rehabilitation of Naszály quarries.
GÖNCÖL FOUNDATION3. Ilona str. 2600 Vác, HUNGARY
phone: (+36-27) 512 030 www.goncol.hu
REGIONAL STUDIES INSTITUTEP. O. Box 184. 2600 Vác, HungaryE-mail: [email protected]
Staff, photo Vilmos Kiszel
Strix aluco, photo Zsolt Kovacs
Crambe tataria in West Cserhat, photo Adam Selmeczi Kovacs
Derived soil map of Szentendrei-island by Goncol RSI
Glis glis, photo Laszlo Becsy
Stipa borysthenica on sand dunes, photo Balazs Pinter
Naszaly hill and city of Vac, photo Adam Selmeczi Kovacs
Drying oxbow in the Danube bend, photo Balazs Pinter
Helleborus purpurascens, photo Gyula Kovacs
