Exhibition of "The secrets of Grasslands" Photography Contest
The aim of this year contest was to showcase the importance of conservation of grasslands through the presentation and promotion of grasslands habitats and species, and their high biodiversity values. It was the first photo contest focusing on grasslands, and the theme of this year’s contest was plant species in their grassland habitats.
Amongst all habitat types, temperate grasslands are the World’s most endangered, but least protected habitats. It is less known that grasslands can eventually compete tropical rainforests as the most species-rich habitats in the World.
Grassland-HU is the first nature conservation project under LIFE Integrated Projects; it aims to restore and enhance grasslands habitats and species.
Within the framework of the Grassland-HU, Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd. in cooperation with National Park Directories and Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture has announced a photo contest, intending to create a recurring annual event. The best 30 images and the 3 winners were selected by the jury, and will be embarked on a country-wide tour in the autumn. The first exhibition will be held in 20th October.
During the summer, within the two-month entry deadline, both amateur and professional photographers could enter up to 5 images. 600 images were submitted by 149 photographers. An online poll on Facebook was organized to decide the "People’s Choice Award".
The Judges
- Péter Bozzay, Executive Director of the Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd., Chairman of the Judges
- András Béres, Consultant of the Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd.
- Laura Döbrösi, actress
- Zsófia Dukát, Director-General of the Directorate for National Parks and National Landscapes, Ministry of Agriculture
- Andrea Joós, founder of the Experimental Biology Blog
- János Szekeres, nature photographer
- Antal Széll, nature photographer
The winning photographers and their images
The Award Ceremony was held in the 1st of October at the Herman Ottó Conference Centre.
The Winners:
1st place: "Crocus" photographed by Tibor Litauszky
2nd place: "Great Mullein" photographed by Iván Abdelmagid
3rd place: "Stipa borysthenica" photographed by Tamás Koncz-Bisztricz
The winner image of the "People’s Choice Award" was the "Greater pasque flower" photographed by Alexandra Halász – with 456 votes.
Andrea Joós, blogger and founder of the Experimental Biology Blog, decided to create a "Special Award". The winning image was the "Common daisy" photographed by Imre Bejámin Bödör.
Exhibition
Visitors can see the exhibits at the Herman Ottó Conference Centre (1223 Budapest, Nagytétényi út 190.) between 1 and 15 October at weekdays from 09.00-16:00. In accordance with the pandemic measures, hand sanitizer will be available upon entry, and all visitors will ordered to wear a mask when in the building.
The exhibition then will embark on a country-wide tour of the showrooms and visitor centres of the Grassland-HU LIFE IP partners, who will showcase the best 30 images.
The Visitor Centre of Ipolytarnóc Fossil Park, under the Bükk National Park Directorate, will stage the exhibition between 16 and 30 October 2020. Information on further venues is available on the Grassland website, and on its Facebook page.
Next year the "The Secrets of Grasslands" Photo Contest will be held again, with the theme of "Invertebrates in their grassland habitats".
Source: Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd.
