The topic of the master thesis European Spatial Planning and Regional Development at the Blekinge Insitute of Technology is the Natura 2000 areas in Hungary. The aim is to review the Natura 2000 network, the management of these area at the EU level, and the situation in Hungary. Furthermore examine the Natural 2000 network in Hungary, to find, collect, realize and methodize the main problems of these places in association with Natura 2000. Finally I overview the aims of the Natura 2000 areas' management in the future.

In these „polluted” days the most important aims are the environmental protection and the nature conservation in the whole world. People take advantage of the nature without thinking of the consequences in the future. The Nature 2000 network is the key instrument for this protection in the European Union. It is an ecological network of protected areas; it helps to ensure the survival of Europe's most valuable species and habitats. After the accession to the European Union, Hungary added many valuable and unique sites to the European natural heritage. Hungary gives home for numerous species and habitat types that are not presented at the area of the other Member States. However beside the advantages several problems came with this to Natura 2000 areas, because of the economic backwardness of Hungary, which is deepened by today’s economical crisis. It is important to determine, classify and analyse the problems arising at the Natura 2000 areas and in this way these will help us to solve them.