Destination Stewardship Report – Volume 5, Issue 2

This post is from the Destination Stewardship Report, a publication that provides practical information and insights useful to anyone whose work or interests involve improving destination stewardship in a post-pandemic world.


A stork’s eye view of the historic village of Bodrogkeresztúr. (Photo courtesy of Tokaj Borvidék)

Heritage and Nature Find Harmony

Another winner from the Top 100 – Every year, Green Destinations organizes the Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories competition, which invites submissions from around the world – a vetted collection of stories spotlighting local and regional destinations that are making progress toward sustainable management of tourism and its impacts. As previously, we’ve selected two more stories from the winners, this one from Hungary, where a resident stork’s death inspires a community regeneration. Synopsis by Ian Vorster. Top 100 submission by the Tokaj Wine Region Development Council.

Hungarian Town Blends Renewal with Conservation

European storks find a new home in Bodrogkeresztúr, Hungary on concrete replacements for overhead power line poles. (Photo courtesy of Tokaj Borvidék)

Nestled in the heart of Hungary, the Tokaj Wine Region is a place where the beauty of nature intertwines with centuries-old human craftsmanship. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the region is a romantic landscape of cellar labyrinths, vines and slopes, forts and rivers.

The village of Bodrogkeresztúr – “the stork village” – was the home of around 40 pairs of storks, including one much-loved permanent resident called Fülöp (Phillip), after the then heir to the Spanish throne of Spain. Although hatched in Spain, Fülöp settled on the banks of Hungary’s Bodrog River and never migrated. In twelve summers, the bird produced 34 chicks until he was electrocuted on one of the village’s many overhead cables. The river makes Bodrogkeresztúr a popular stork habitat, so others had also been lost as well, but Fülöp’s death galvanized the community.

An initiative was launched to blend stork protection, the local identity, community spirit, and tourism. It enabled a collaboration between Tokaj Borvidék Fejlődéséért Np. Kft. (the Tokaj Wine Region Council) and the Municipality of Bodrogkeresztúr. The solution required somehow removing the cables while protecting the cultural integrity and historical significance of the village.

Morning light bathes the village of Bodrogkeresztúr. (Photo courtesy of Tokaj Borvidék)

Bodrogkeresztúr, known for its premium vineyards and renowned wines, had not seen comprehensive infrastructural improvements for decades. There was a notable lack of accessible public spaces, walking paths to connect wineries and historic cellars, and areas for receiving visitors, which limited the potential for wine tourism. Together these factors complicated the issue.

With the European Union’s support, the overhead power lines were replaced with underground cables and the electrical poles with stork nesting poles. An exhibition in the village center was also built to educate visitors about the lifestyle, behavior and significance of storks, and the Municipality of Bodrogkeresztúr, together with other civil organizations, hosts an annual running event named after Fülöp the stork. The event has grown over the years to include various programs, including literary contests for children and wine competitions.

Fülöp’s legacy has strengthened the sense of community in the village. Drawing inspiration from the famous stork who never left it, the added sentiment of the importance of young adults now remaining in their hometown has been added.