The role of local communities in environmental protection in Podkarpacie and Bieszczady
How a local initiative from Poland helps the environment on a communal level.
Country
Authorship/Creative Team
Youth board Polish team;
Karolina Bober, Karolina Kafara, Maria Bielanicz, Adam Weimer, Stanisław Buszta
Sources
Photos:
Fundacja Bieszczadzka Facebook
We have long been aware of the problem of the amount of plastic pollution caused by the amount of used disposable plastic bottles. Plastic bottles are an extremely convenient option primarily for storing water, but also for packaging cosmetics, medicines or cleaning products. The problem of plastic bottles is a very popular and well-known problem in the ecological world, but do we really realize what the journey of our small plastic waste looks like after landing in a yellow container or in the colloquial "grass"?
Cleaning green areas
One of the simplest, yet very effective ways of caring for the environment is to organize campaigns to clean public spaces. In Bieszczady, where economic activity conducted by tourists is one of the main sources of income, people living in this area regularly organize collective cleaning of tourist trails, riverbanks, and lakes. Such efforts not only improve the aesthetics of the surroundings but also increase environmental awareness among both local residents and tourists.
‘’One such event was last year’s clean-up event in Lesko. Many students in our community got involved in this initiative with passion and enthusiasm. I am impressed by the number of willing young volunteers who care about the environment. And the results? After a few days, there was a significant change in the appearance of the landscape,’’ - says a participant in the event.
Local programs aimed at spreading knowledge
Environmental education is a key element in building awareness and responsibility for the environment. There are many independent civic groups operating in the Bieszczady Mountains, which run programs aimed at spreading knowledge aimed at children, youth and adults. An example is the Bieszczady Foundation, which organizes various activities supporting long-term sustainable development goals.
The organization is associated with many schools in our region. As part of its activities, the Bieszczady Foundation organizes educational, cultural and ecological projects, cooperating with other organizations and residents of the region.
One of the projects is the "Carpathian Ecomuseums – partnership for eco-development" Project, supported by the Bieszczady Foundation, which aims to undertake community activities for the development of ecomuseums in the Podkarpackie Province. The project includes 14 initiatives in 5 developed planned ecomuseums, established in the Bieszczady and Lesko counties. The activities are aimed at making them available to residents, protecting natural resources and developing economically.
One brilliant example is the renovation of a botanical garden created in the schoolyard in Orelec. Children from kindergarten participated in various educational activities. The botanical garden serves not only the schoolchildren but also other local residents.
''Our projects aim to engage residents in activities for the common good, environmental education and supporting activities for sustainable development and strengthening local regional identity, economic development of the region based on the ideas of green tourism and social economy.'' - says a project volunteer.
How do young people get involved in the foundation's activities?
"Teenagers very often volunteer at our foundation. Our organization is associated with many schools in our region. Many young people are eager to volunteer and take part in the events we organize. As part of its activities, the Bieszczady Foundation organizes educational, cultural and ecological projects, cooperating with other organizations and residents of the region. We organize, for example, workshops, festivals, events related to nature conservation or cleaning forests and rivers." - says a foundation employee.
Events and actions for sustainable local environment
Among many activities carried out by the Foundation, we can find nature conservation events. The Foundation organizes cleaning of mountain and forest areas, or afforestation – in cooperation with other organizations - to plant trees as part of supporting the protection of forests and biodiversity.
Foundation supports also ecological Education by workshops and lectures on nature conservation, ecology, and sustainable development. The Foundation organizes educational events for children, yout,h and adults, aimed at raising ecological awareness. To promote the cultural heritage and tradition and local artists or tourist trails of the region they organize cultural events - festivals, concerts, exhibitions, organizes trips, including hiking, cycling and educational, with guides. And last but not least they get involved in social projects to support local communities - the foundation works to improve the quality of life of residents, including assistance in the development of infrastructure, support in the field of education and culture, as well as assistance to people in need.
These activities may vary depending on the needs and projects implemented by the Bieszczady Foundation. For information on current activities, it is worth visiting the foundation's website or its social media profiles.
