Budapest’s Green Initiatives: Winter Wonderland for Hedgehogs

In the bustling city of Budapest, it’s easy to forget the importance of green spaces and the diverse wildlife that calls them home. However, the city’s gardening company, FŐKERT, is constantly working to improve Budapest’s green spaces for all living beings, big and small. Their efforts not only protect wildlife but also contribute to improving soil quality, creating a thriving environment for all.

The Importance of Green Spaces

Even in a big city like Budapest, green spaces are absolutely necessary for a healthy environment. These areas provide a haven for various creatures, from tiny insects to larger animals like hedgehogs. By maintaining and improving these green spaces, Budapest ensures that its ecosystem remains balanced and diverse.

Hedgehog Castles: A Sign of Care

When you come across large piles of leaves and green cuttings in Budapest’s parks, don’t mistake them for neglect. On the contrary, these are actually small hedgehog castles, carefully created by FŐKERT. The leaf piles provide shelter for hedgehogs and other small creatures during the cold months, protecting them from the harsh winter weather.

FŐKERT has expanded the number of areas where they build hedgehog shelters, including popular parks like Margitsziget, Népliget, Óbudai-sziget, Gellért-hegy, Városmajor, Vérmező, and Pünkösdfürdő park. The leaf piles are fenced off with orange ribbon and marked with signs asking visitors not to disturb the hibernating hedgehogs.

Composting: From Waste to Nutrient-Rich Soil

The leaves and green cuttings that don’t end up in hedgehog castles are transported to FŐKERT’s composting facility on Keresztúri Road. Here, the city and its agglomeration’s green waste is composted, processing around 60,000 cubic meters of organic waste annually. This process yields 5-6,000 cubic meters of high-quality compost.

Approximately three-quarters of this compost is used in the parks and tree lines managed by FŐKERT, with about 3,000 cubic meters being spread during the autumn months. This practice ensures that the plants have access to nutrient-rich soil for their spring growth, as compost improves both the nutrient content and structure of the soil. Any excess compost is sold to the public, allowing everyone to benefit from this eco-friendly product.

Encouraging Local Composting

FŐKERT encourages everyone with a garden to follow their example by leaving fallen leaves in a pile or composting them instead of burning or disposing of them. By doing so, the trees that shed their leaves will have access to nutrient-rich soil when they awaken from their winter dormancy.

In some large parks, where space allows, FŐKERT creates “leaf depots” by sweeping some of the fallen leaves under the shrubs as mulch to protect the roots, while piling the rest in a fenced-off area for storage until early spring. This process not only provides shelter for animals but also reduces the volume of leaves that need to be transported in the spring, minimizing the environmental impact.

Conclusion

Budapest’s green initiatives, led by FŐKERT, demonstrate the city’s commitment to protecting wildlife and improving soil quality. By creating hedgehog castles, composting green waste, and encouraging local composting, Budapest is ensuring that its green spaces remain vibrant and healthy for all living beings. So, the next time you see a pile of leaves in a Budapest park, remember that it’s not a sign of neglect, but rather a testament to the city’s dedication to a thriving environment.

Image source: FŐKERT