LIFE Project
"Cross-border protection of the Great Bustard in Central Europe"
Objectives
In order to build on the great success of the three previous Austrian and Hungarian LIFE and LIFE+ projects to protect the Great Bustard, another Great Bustard conservation project was successfully implemented. In July 2016, the largest LIFE project to date for the protection of the Great Bustard in Central Europe was launched. For the first time, Austria (AT) and Hungary (HU) were working together across borders to ensure the conservation of these extraordinary birds. In particular, measures were being taken to improve the habitat and reduce the risk of line collisions - the most common unnatural cause of death to date - by undergrounding existing power lines. In order to prevent the extinction of local populations and to ensure that the measures were implemented as efficiently as possible, an improved exchange of information with neighbouring countries (Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Serbia) was also part of the project.
The nine project areas (4 in AT and 5 in HU)
Implemented actions
Underground cabling
A total of 86.5 kilometres of power lines were laid underground (58.03 kilometres in Austria and 28.47 kilometres in Hungary). This is 45 kilometres more than the originally planned 41.5 kilometres. In addition to the underground cabling within the LIFE project, a large part was financed outside the LIFE Great Bustard project. As a result, around 293 kilometres of medium-voltage power lines in bustard habitats in Austria and Hungary have been dismantled and undergrounded over the last 20 years in order to reduce the risk of bustards colliding with overhead power lines.
Tagging and monitoring of Great Bustards
In the course of the project, 67 great bustards were tagged in order to generate further information about their habitat and behaviour. The populations and their habitats were monitored in all project areas in close cooperation with the local population. In addition, other species (mammal species and protected ground-breeding bird species) were monitored in Hungary to determine the socio-economic impact.
Raising awareness
To support the exchange of information and awareness-raising, a visitor centre was built in Kunszentmiklós, Hungary (HU1 KKU), where conferences and training courses can be held. It is also the starting point of a nature trail with at least 5 special viewpoints of the Natura 2000 protected area Kinskunság (HUKN1000 - Natura 2000 Special Protected Area). In addition, another observation tower has been built in Austria and the existing observation towers have been renovated.
Two adult male Great Bustards, one of them displaying

Project duration
25. July 2016 until 31. October 2024
Project beneficiary
Österreichische Gesellschaft Großtrappenschutz
Planned project budget
8.399.265 Euro (of this 5,962,905 Euro = 70.99 % EC)
LIFE Nature and this measure have the aim to protect endangered species and habitats based on the EU Birds and Fauna-Habitat-Directive of the destination. The protected area network Natura 2000 contributes Europe helping to preserve the diversity of wild plant and animal species and their habitats.
Project partners and co-financiers
The LIFE Project LIFE15 NAT/AT/000834 is funded by the EU and the following project partners and co-financiers:
European Union |
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Natura2000 | |
![]() www.burgenland.at |
Government of the Province Burgenland, Department 5 - investmentlaw, enviromental protection and transport (AT NAT BL) |
![]() www.noel.gv.at |
Government of the Province Lower Austria, Department Nature Conservation (AT NAT NÖ) |
www.netzburgenland.at |
Netz Burgenland Strom GmbH (AT NETZ BL) |
![]() www.netz-noe.at |
Netz Niederösterreich GmbH (AT NETZ NÖ) |
![]() bnpi.hu |
Bükk National Park Directorate (HU BNPD) |
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ELMŰ Hálózati Elosztó Korlátolt Felelősségű Társaság (ELMŰ Hálózati Kft.) (HU ELMÜ) |
![]() kmnp.hu |
Körös-Maros National Park Directorate (HU KMNPD) |
![]() knp.nemzetipark.gov.hu |
Kiskunság National Park Directorate (HU KNPD) |
![]() www.mme.hu |
Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society (BirdLife Hungary) (HU MME) |
![]() www.bmk.gv.at |
Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (AT) |
![]() www.kormany.hu/en/ministry-of-agriculture |
Ministry of Agriculture (HU) |
In cooperation with |
Austrian Power Grid (APG) |