Water guardians: How local farmers are refusing to let Hungary dry out

In southern Hungary’s Homokhátság region, rapid desertification has transformed once-fertile farmland into a semiarid landscape marked by drying wells, cracked soil, and dune formations. This decline is attributed to a combination of climate change, poor agricultural practices, and decades of mismanagement, leading to a severe drop in groundwater levels and a meteorological feedback loop where dry air causes rain to evaporate before reaching the ground. Scientists warn that worsening climate conditions will continue to disrupt precipitation patterns, exacerbating water scarcity and land degradation. In response, a volunteer group called the “Water Guardians” has pioneered an innovative solution by repurposing overflow thermal water from nearby spas, which was previously wasted. By redirecting this cooled, mineral-rich water onto a 6-acre low-lying area, they have recreated a shallow marsh that restores a natural flooding cycle, boosts local humidity, lowers temperatures, and helps recharge groundwater. This initiative has already improved soil stability, revived native vegetation and wildlife, and