Zsámbok Organic Growers Cricle

 The theme was "how to keep our water".  The organic growers circle is an informal, adhoc self-organised initiative - with the aim to bring together people from the village or surrounding area, to share our experience on growing, and talk about what we can do to improve and conserve our environment.  Tuesday's meeting brought in lots of people from the village - evidently lots of people realise that one good rain doesn't mean the end of a drought.  Német András from the Hungarian National Parks led with a talk on water, it's importance in Nature and how to make best use of the water resources we have.  András has an encyclopedic knowledge on water and its interaction with Hungarian flora and fauna.  Together with "indigenous" residents from the village, who could offer a really intimate knowledge of the landscape, and with the help of GIS maps (including kataszteri map - kadastral maps - that is maps from the Habsburg empire period), we were able to discuss the most critical points around the village, where a different approach to water management would make a huge different to Nature, with relatively little effort.

For me the take home message from András was: every well researched, well planned action executed, even small actions, can have a significant effect.  Very often lots of small actions have a more benefitical and positive cumulative effect than a few bigger, more grand projects (which often overlook unforeseen consequences).

Great to have this local, detailed knowledge.