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Description
The aim of the project is to initiate a dialogue between stakeholders and the local community in order to strengthen the existing activities for the Warka Route. This is a road located in the Chojnów Landscape Park, running through a protected area, valuable for its nature and important for local identity. According to the Park''s conservation plan, the Warka Route serves as a local ecological corridor.
In the autumn of 2022, the Route was covered with asphalt and adapted to serve as a collector road, with negative environmental consequences. During the design of the road, community protests were ignored and no environmental impact assessment of the investment was carried out. A former traditional tourist trail has been transformed into a busy road, posing a danger to local residents. It is feared that the investment will continue, with plans to extend it to other sections of the Route, including areas of the reserve and the Natura 2000 site. Our motivation for intervening to reduce and slow down traffic on the Warka Route is concern for the safety of residents, tourists and local fauna.
Our aim is to establish a dialogue with institutional stakeholders, such as local authorities or the Park management, and residents on the future of the Route. We also want to increase public pressure on the county authorities by promoting solutions that will improve safety for all traffic participants and benefit the environment. As part of the project, we are carrying out specialised analyses and developing recommendations to reduce traffic on the the Warka Route. We are also organising educational walks, online meetings and public debates for residents of the Piaseczno municipality. We also plan to prepare and submit a petition.
Summary of project results
The project responded to the need to minimize damage caused by an improperly executed road investment in an area of natural value and social importance. The project was to provide irrefutable evidence and indicate recommendations for further action on the subject of the Warka Trakt road.
Project activities were carried out according to plan. Cooperation with project partners proceeded smoothly, thanks to a clear division of roles in the project. It was possible to reach the addressees indicated in the project, the topic of the Warecki Tract was once again publicized, and most importantly, experts were acquired and extensive specialist expertise was performed, confirming the dangerous current state of road solutions on the Warecki Tract. Guidelines were created to improve safety for people and amphibians. The herpetological inventory indicated actions necessary to preserve the amphibian population in this area. A local Pact for the Tract was established, involving 21 entities in activities for the Tract. Products were created: a leaflet, brochure and publication. It was possible to obtain almost 1,700 signatures on the petition. Finally, a meeting of representatives of the commune, district, activists and residents was held. Decision-makers made declarations that can improve the safety of people and animals on the Warecki Tract. The Alarm for Climate Foundation will continue to monitor the situation and work for the Tract. In total, over 20 volunteers were recruited, 18 social organizations were involved, 1 local pact was established, 2 local debates were held, in which 80 participants took part. In total, approx. 2,500 people were involved.
Effective and consistent actions of activists on the Warecki Tract led to the diagnosis of the causes of the problem that occurred during the implementation of the investment on the Warecki Tract. Insufficient social participation, lack of transparency of the county''s activities, hermetic decision-making process, inappropriate road traffic forecasting model, lack of reliable environmental analysis, low level of care for the environment, failure to take into account the protective regulations of the Landscape Park. The implementation of the project allowed for these issues to be repeatedly emphasized, and ultimately for representatives of the authorities responsible for the implementation of the project to understand which aspects of the activities of the Piaseczno county office require improvement, in the opinion of the public. The project led to a dialogue between the local government (county office, county) and the representation of employees of the Chojnów Landscape Park, whose role in planning and implementing road investments in the CHPK area has so far been omitted. The involvement of CHPK representatives in activities for the TW may result in further activity on other planned road investments. The conclusion of the Pact for the Tract, i.e. cooperation of 21 entities for the Tract, increased the pressure on local government bodies. Declarations were made, the implementation of which we expect. The road is to be transferred to the commune''s management. The commune is to take action for the amphibians and is in favor of variant 2-1.