The 'Sikfokut Project' was initiated in 1972 by the Institute of Botany of the Kossuth Lajos University (KLTE) in Debrecen (second largest city in Hungary). The project followed the Paris meeting of UNESCO in 1971 ('Research on the temperate zone forest'). Since 1979, the Institute of Ecology (first to be established in the history of the country), has continued the project. An appeal to ecology specialists (botanists, meteorologists, soil scientists, geographers, zoologists, etc.) was made to solve goal tasks and collaborate in research. Therefore, 72 researchers from 23 disciplines volunteered and began their investigations according to the coordinated work plan. During the first period of research the Project was related to the globally advertized IBP (International Biological Program). At the time of inauguration of the 'Man and Biosphere Program Project' (UNESCO Program) in the 1970s, Sikfokut become one of the most important research areas with the most characteristic hardly disturbed forest of Pannonia and surrounding cultivated areas. More recently, several national and international institutes and universities dealing with environmental protection or scientific research have been carrying out measurements on the area, thus aiming to contribute to the study of the accrue Hungarian forest decline.Initie en 1972 par l'Institut de Botanique de l'Universite Kossuth Lajos (KLTE) a Debrecen (deuxieme ville de Hongrie), le programme Sikfokut Project faisait suite a la reunion de l'Unesco Research on the temperate zone forest a Paris en 1971. Depuis 1979 le programme est dirige par l'institut d'ecologie de KLTE. Afin de realiser les objectifs de recherche, 72 chercheurs regroupant 23 disciplines se sont portes volontaires et ont participe au programme de recherche, partie integrante du IBP (international biological program). Ainsi, au moment de l'inauguration du programme de l'Unesco Man and Biosphere \ra, le programme Sikfokut etait-il un des plus importants en recherche forestiere d'Europe centrale.Plus recemment, plusieurs universites et instituts etrangers, engages dans la protection de l'environnement ou menant des recherches scientifiques se sont joints aux programmes contractuels de cooperation. Ils contribuent ainsi aux recherches visant a etudier les causes du deperissement croissant de la foret hongroise.