The Eco-Village Concept in a Model Experiment in South-West Hungary

Bela BORSOS1
1 Pécs University of Sciences, Institute of Geography, Pécs, HUNGARY
E-mail: dioliget@t-online.hu
Pages: 69-76

Abstract. One of the methods to face the challenges of the worldwide ecological crisis is the implementation of sustainable development principles at the rural development level. In South-West Hungary, the sparsely populated small village region of Zselic is the location of a small-scale sustainable settlement development project at the abandoned former village site of Gyűrűfű. Over the past twenty years, ecological design principles such as permaculture have guided the re-settlement of the area. Spatial planning was one of the dominant features of the design work with overlapping thematic maps and bioregional properties. The article summarises the practical experiences gained from such a design concept.

K e y w o r d s:  eco-village, system theory, sustainable rural development, human ecology, Hungary