Tata has always managed the rehabilitation of the Old Lake as a high priority case. In spite of the fact, that the lake is owned by the Hungarian State, the local government has always taken significant measures for water quality improvement and natural values protection. In the 1990s, it became clear for Tata, that a collaboration spreading over the whole water catchment area is needed for the complex rehabilitation of the Old Lake. To achieve this, Tata initiated to establish an association on democratic principles, which- involving all affected settlements and inviting several economic and non-governmental organizations -is able to represent a suitable force to achieve state interventions.

This was the initiative of Tata for Altal-er Water Catchment Restoration and Development Association in 1994. Altal-er Association works continuously since then, its activity covers several areas from water management, environmental protection, nature conservation projects through rural development and ecotourism until actions related to renewable energy, nature parks and environmental education. Twenty settlements and 30 other organizations are involved in it. The association obtained the Hungarian Landscape Award for its activity in 2013, and the Award for Komarom-Esztergom County in 2015.

The Local Government of Tata handles the topic of nature conservation and wetland habitats with priority. It was one of the first in Hungary to create a local nature conservation regulation (January 1992) and designated the city’s most important wetland habitats with their surrounding forests, meadows and marshes as protected. The Magyary Plan (2008, 2015), as the long-term basic document of urban development, defines the protection of these natural values as a principle. 1,050 ha of the total city area of 7,817 ha are under protection. 688 ha of Ramsar area and 1,684 ha of Natura 2000 area are partly overlapping with these. There is also a national protected area with 454 ha. Infrastructure developments do not affect these protected areas or carried out in harmony with nature conservation aspects.

The City of Tata initiated a local government-economic-civil cooperation in 1994 for the Old Lake Ramsar area, covering the whole water catchment (19 settlements) and established the Altal-er Association. Tata is known as the “City of Waters”, and this is always kept in mind when making urban development decisions. The most abundant karst spring group of Hungary can be found there. Conservation of natural values represents a significant lobbying power in Tata, there are a lot of NGOs. Tata is the center of Gerecse Nature Park established in 2013. As a recognition of nature conservation measures, Tata won the title “Capital of Biodiversity” in 2010.

Four educational trails were built in Tata in the past three years, all with water as a central idea: natural values of water habitats, Ramsar Convention, historical watermills and cultural monuments on the shore, various utilization of water, history of water management, tourism and sport utilization of waters and spring management.

The local government initiated a new subject in primary schools under the title “Tata”. A team of local teachers and provincialists composed an informative book for this subject in 5,000 copies. This includes values of local history, cultural memories and the most important natural aspects (e.g. Ramsar Convention, Wild Goose Festival). An Eco-class was introduced in the biggest primary school in 2014, where the children spend 1 day on the educational trails each week.

The Wild Goose Festival is an event organized since 2001 to present the several thousands of wild geese arriving to the Old Lake. This is the biggest nature conservation festival in Hungary with its 15-20 thousand visitors. The biggest festival of Tata is the Water, Music, Flower Festival organized since 1993. Its central element is water, mostly its historical, cultural and artistic aspects. The Great Fishing Festival on the Old Lake commemorates the ancient fishing. The Patara Historic Festival of Tata takes place also on the shore of the Old Lake (in the Castle). Water and nature are topics of several conferences and professional forums. An Ecotourism Center was built on the shore of the Old Lake in 2014 providing professional guidance and receiving 40,000 – 45,000 visitors a year.