Pataki 1

Anna Pataki

ENG 112 N

Professor Sutter

6 December 2021

Braiding Sweetgrass Synthesis

Have you ever paused for a moment in your rushing world and thought about what nature

means to you? Have you ever set time to appreciate the environment? What does come to

your mind when you think about the land we live on? I would never consider these questions

by myself until I started reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Her

fascinating book is about the appreciation and reciprocity of the nature, the land, and

indigenous people. By reading her book, I’ve learned that humans and nature are connected,

and we should treat the environment in the same way as it (or I should write they) treat(s) us!

When do I feel the most connected to the nature? When I’m at home, sitting outside on the

balcony thinking of my country. Hungary. The place where I feel the most comfortable. I like

just looking at Hungary on the map because it makes me realize how Hungarians are so lucky

because of the diverse natural environment we have. The country is surrounded by mountain

ranges and farmlands as well.

In addition, the water system of Hungary is remarkable, the two main rivers of the country

provide resources, food, and home for multiple ecosystems. But not only the Tisza and Duna

are the two rivers, people rely on in their everyday life, but Hungary’s lakes too. Lake Balaton

is the biggest and one of the most treasurable lake in Hungary. The lake and its environment

are diverse, full with flora and fauna. Lake Balaton is special to me because I remember

stories from my childhood. I remember waking up early on a hot summer day, get out to the

lakeside where the first beams of the sun would make me warm. I’m excited to jump to the

lake and catch some waves. My mum would always warn us to stay close to the lakeshore, but
 Pataki 2

with dad, we could swim deep in the crystal-clear lake. As a kid, I always wanted to spend

much time in the water as I could. I still remember the smell of the lunch we usually had at

Balaton on summer. Lángos is a typical Hungarian summer lakeshore dish. If I think about it,

I taste the combination of cheese, sour cream, and garlic in my mouth. Lángos is deep fried

flatbread topped with sour cream and cheese. Lake Balaton has a rich diversity of ecosystems

that has been preserved (Weis). There are plenty of protected plant species and animals that

are rare such as black stork, black woodpecker, and otter. In total, there are 41 indigenous fish

species living in the lake. In order to protect the preserve the nature and the ecosystems near

the lake, the government formed Lake Balaton Highlands National Park in 1997 (Weis).

Visitors from all around the world have the ability to take a walk on educational trails and

learn about endangered species. Living Lakes is an international initiative whose goal is to

protect and conserve the resources of the nature and drinkable water. They partner with

organizations such as Association of Civil Organizations of Lake Balaton and Lake Balaton

Development Coordination Agency to preserve living species from extinction and to stop and

reserve the deterioration of Lake Balaton’s environment (Weis).

It always makes me feel proud of my country when I think about how small it is, compared

to other countries, however there are 10 beautiful national parks that represent Hungary and

our culture. I grew up in the north-east part of Hungary in a city, called Miskolc. I still

remember of my childhood, when my parents took me and my siblings for a nice walk to the

forest in the Bükk mountain. We would spend the whole Saturday or Sunday climbing up on

rocks, running down on narrow trails, collecting mushrooms or snowdrops, or observing tiny,

interesting insects hiding under the leaves. I was having fun with my dogs and siblings in the

nature, not stressing too much about other things. It had to take me for a while to notice that I

am the most connected to the natural environment when I am at home! The forest is about 5-

minute walk from where I live, so it’s used to always be a part of my life. I love to go on
 Pataki 3

hikes when it’s autumn time and the colorful leaves are dropping down. The weather is

changing, it’s getting colder, however I like when the wind blows my hair. I’m familiar with

the narrow, curvy trails that go deep into the forest. The Bükk National Park was established

in 1977 and it involves the whole Bükk Mountain. The ecosystems living in the national park

are rich and diverse, there are around 2500 vascular plants in Hungary and 1500 of them are

found in the Bükk National Park (The Flora of the Bükk). More interestingly, the Bükk

mountain is famous for its caves. 45 of the 853 explored caves are protected. In 2016, the

Bükk National Park Directorate started a project in order to save and preserve the caves and

bats. The project involves 38 caves protection and to sustain a calm natural habitat for bats

living in these caves (Bükki Nemzeti Park…). The project’s goal is to upgrade the technical

facilities of the caves, for example renovation and conversion of damaged, technically

obsolete, or unsatisfactory nature and landscape protection cave closures. The next goal is the

construction of new cave closures justified from the point of view of nature and life

protection. And lastly, the project focuses on the reconstruction of damaged cave section and

cave formations (Bükki Nemzeti Park…).

I realized this connection when I decided to move to Portland to continue my studies and,

most importantly, my running career in the United States. When I’m writing this paper, I’m

currently spending my Thanksgiving break with one of my closest teammates in Bend,

Oregon. Although, Oregon is probably one of the best states to get connected to the nature, I

am thinking my hometown’s forest and lakes and caves and parks. Even if I am thousands of

miles away from the Bükk mountain, I can perfectly picture its diverse ecosystems living

together. By writing this paper, I could totally understand what nature means to me. It helped

me realize, that without it, we wouldn’t be able to exist. We rely on the environment so much,

as much as it relies on us.

 Pataki 4

In conclusion, I would like to express my appreciation towards the mother land and all the

living creatures on it by promising that I would, and I will, do anything to protect the place

where I feel my true self and where I’m the most comfortable living.
 Pataki 5

Works Cited

“Bükki Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság - PROJEKTEK.” 6, http://bnpi.honlap.hu/cseppkovek-es-

deneverek/. 

The Flora of the Bükk, http://en.bnpi.hu/oldal/the-flora-of-the-bukk-26.html.

Weis, Almut. “Lake Balaton – Hungary.” GNF - Lake Balaton,

https://www.globalnature.org/en/living-lakes/lake-balaton.