In addition to the plenary sessions the participants took part in a field visit organised by the Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate. Three sites were visited in the Tihany peninsula: Kiserdő-tető (Little-forest hill), Belső-tó, (Inner lake) and Gejzírmező (Geyser field). Participants also observed European Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus citellus) many of them volunteered to estimate their population numbers.           

The field visit ended in the “Lavender House” visitor centre of the Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate. In the visitor centre an exhibition presented the natural values and special products of all ten Hungarian National Park Directorates.  

The event included three workshop sessions that concentrated on the topics of financing, green infrastructure and ecosystem services.

Concerning the theme of financing participants expressed their full support to applying Prioritized Action Frameworks as a planning tool during preparations for the 2014-2020 financial framework. Prioritized Action Frameworks may be useful in increasing the transparency of financing for nature conservation and could help in defining nature conservation priorities. The importance of integrating financing needs of nature conservation in all relevant EU financing instruments has been also emphasised. Participants expressed their support to maintaining and possibly expanding instruments currently used (e.g. LIFE+, Natura 2000 payments under EAFRD).

Introducing the concept of green infrastructure has been found important and timely. The facts that the concept builds on existing policy instruments (e.g. Natura 2000, ecological networks, etc.), and it is suitable for integrating several aspects of nature conservation (land use, ecosystem services), etc. have been identified as advantages. In the same time participants underlined that before practical application the elements of green infrastructure and its possible socio-economic functions will need to be defined, and its specific objectives at the different territorial level will need to be set.

In relation to the ecosystem services participants determined what kind of issues arise in the nature conservation decision-making process related to biodiversity and ecosystem services requiring external expertise and how it is possible to improve the knowledge flow. Delegates agreed that in the mapping and assessment of the state of ecosystems and their services a common methodology for data collection and consistency in valuation is needed.

The workshops were followed by a plenary session where Poland presented the nature conservation activities during the upcoming Polish Presidency. After that Mr. Tobiás Salathé from the Ramsar Convention Secretariat handed to Mr. László Balogh director of the Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate the diploma of the newest Ramsar site.  

The meeting was closed by a concert of the Molnár Dixieland Band. The event generally was very useful, the plenary sessions, the workshops and the field trip gave a good opportunity to the participants to discuss the current issues of the nature conservation. According to the feedback given by the delegates the logistical organisation and the professional programmes were both excellent.