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Description
The 2019 Eurobarometer study results indicate that as many as 88% of Poles are aware of the impact that the condition of natural environment has on the quality of their life. We believe it to have high potential to action which still does not translate to a sufficient extent into civic activities that could have effective impact on the both local and national policy.We will address this problem by launching a consultation and interventional point offering consultancy to people wishing to organise an intervention or watchdog activities for the environment. We will organise 12 field visits to support local communities in their interventions. We will create an online guide service with a newsletter and will publish a ‘How to Intervene?’ instruction booklet on how to engage in activities for the environment. Individuals or groups interested in the topic will be provided with access to consultations. We will also hold five workshops on effective interventions. We will show citizens via promotional activities that regardless of age, level of education or social status they can effectively engage in specific activities for forests, the climate, and improved air quality. Our activities will focus on skilful interventions, since our experience shows that pressure exerted on authorities tends to produce visible effects. In the project we will support individuals intervening for the first time, as well as experienced activist groups.
Summary of project results
With our project, we wanted to respond to a number of important societal challenges and issues related to environmental protection and public participation in land use and forest management decision-making processes.
We saw an unmet need for substantive and organisational support for individuals and organisations involved in environmental interventions. This support was particularly needed in the context of increased economic activities that could negatively affect the environment. Examples of interventions, such as struggles to protect valuable ecosystems or protests against investments that threaten biodiversity, point to the need for effective support for such activities.
People wanting to get involved in conservation needed information and tools to act effectively
Our project was also a response to specific environmental threats, such as planned infrastructure investments or economic activities harmful to nature.
Central to the project was the launch of an Intervention Point, which served as a point of contact for those interested in undertaking environmental interventions. This point provided substantive support and legal and procedural advice on intervention issues. It was contacted by many activists and resulted in a number of interventions, such as against tree felling or interventions on water pollution issues.
Thirteen intervention trips were also carried out, during which we took concrete action to protect the environment. On these trips, among other things, we created maps of hollow trees together with the participants, and we also took part in meetings on river pollution and control of hunting surveillance in protected areas.
We created and maintained a website that acted as a source of information and advice for people interested in environmental action. Among other things, this service included guides on how to intervene and how to defend forests.
We also carried out a number of consultations with experts in various fields, such as lawyers and environmental specialists. These expert opinions were used in intervention activities and in the preparation of official and judicial documents.
Working meetings and workshops were organised to raise public awareness of environmental issues. Training topics included the introduction of Clean Transport Zones and methods to protect trees and greenery in cities.
We prepared and carried out public campaigns: three public campaigns were carried out: "How to intervene?", "Clean Oder Action" and "Forest Manifesto". These campaigns were aimed at raising public awareness of environmental protection and mobilising local communities to take active action. The Forest Manifesto, which contained demands for forest protection and management, became an important tool in the public campaign and attracted the attention of the media and politicians.
The project''s audience groups ranged from individuals to NGOs, local and regional media to academic and expert institutions.
Through the project, we were able to encourage participants to overcome their fear of environmental activism and lead them to a sense of empowerment and cooperation for the common good. Thanks to the involvement of many individuals and representatives of organisations, we were able to contact a much wider range of people, which resulted in their involvement in intervention and systemic activities on a larger scale.
The knowledge and skills of citizens and groups undertaking environmental interventions have also increased. Thanks to training courses and the guides and descriptions of interventions created, knowledge of how to act in defence of the environment has become more accessible and understandable to a wider range of people.
The project has also resulted in increased interest in the topic of civic environmental interventions among local and regional media, which has contributed to increased public awareness of environmental issues.