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Description
With this project, we want to work towards solving the problem of low awareness of students (children and adolescents) and the local community of the Radzyń commune Podlaski on reducing emissions, mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects. These groups are interested in pro-ecological activities and in global challenges related to climate protection. Yet, although individuals are eager to actively work to improve the situation, there is no adequate infrastructure locally at this current time.
The implementation of the project will help to promote behaviors pro-ecological, such as: introducing small water retention and appropriate management of rainwater, renaturalization of watercourses and reservoirs, creation of bioretention, green spaces, recycling, creation of surfaces co-educational, supporting biodiversity, installations educational RES. The school will actively conduct educational and promotional activities raising awareness of climate change and adaptation to its effects
The project will create a green and blue infrastructure for education and awareness of the target group in the field adaptation to climate change, mitigation and adaptation to their effects.
Children, adolescents and the local community Radzyń Podlaski commune in the field of knowledge on climate change, as well as possible actions take in order to mitigate and adapt to these changes.
The donor project partner, Øvergård Montessoriskole in Norway, was involved in the preparation of the concept. The cooperation allowed for the adaptation and application of Norwegian solutions (i.e. school garden of arable crops, composter, recycling, biodiversity, including hives) in our project. Students from Norway will come to Białka three times for the workshops and the project partner''s representatives will take part in conference at the end of the project. The project will therefore enable cooperation and exchange of experiences.
Summary of project results
The project was intended to solve the problem of low awareness of students and the local community of the Radzyń Podlaski commune about reducing emissions, mitigating climate change and adapting to their effects. They are interested in pro-ecological activities and global challenges regarding climate protection, they want to actively work to improve the situation, but locally they lacked appropriate infrastructure.
The analysis of the existing situation indicated the following problems:
- insufficient amount of educational base and infrastructure in the Radzyń Podlaski commune;
- a small number of renewable energy investments aimed at climate protection in the Radzyń Podlaski commune;
- too small share of developed green and recreational areas in the overall, unfavorable physiographic conditions, low quality of surface waters;
- low awareness of young people about ongoing climate changes;
- lack of youth involvement and superficial treatment of the climate aspect in ecological activities;
- ignorance of the young generation regarding climate change, over 2/3 of young people do not see the threat - because they do not understand it, no one taught them about it;
- lack of sufficient financial resources to be able to effectively implement all educational activities.
Our Project answered all the above-mentioned problems.
The following activities were carried out as part of the project:
Task 1. Introduction of small water retention and appropriate management of rainwater - the following tasks were carried out as part of the task:
1. Construction of infiltration ditches (5 pieces, total length 40 m)
2. Construction of permeable surfaces, both sidewalks and parking lots, using a layer of gravel and sand of appropriate thickness (390 m2).
3. Construction of absorption wells (a trench filled with gravel), a well with permeable walls and bottom so that water can slowly seep into the ground.
4. Construction of sediment wells/retention basins with planting of plants whose roots have the ability to absorb pollutants, e.g. blue sedge, common sedge, marsh sedge, scattered milkweed, dotted milkweed, winter horsetail, marsh forget-me-not, iris.
5. Conducting lessons entitled: Water retention and appropriate management of rainwater and developing an original substantive program for the lesson entitled: Water retention and appropriate management of rainwater.
6. Purchase of 5 outdoor educational games.
Task 2. Renaturalization of watercourses and reservoirs, including the creation of bioretention areas - the task included:
1. Deepening of existing retention reservoirs (reservoir area: 396 m2 and 252 m2).
2. Strengthening the slopes and shaping the banks.
3. Creation of a habitat by students under the supervision of teachers, purchase of materials, such as pots, bowls, buckets, soil.
4. Conducting workshops titled "Renaturalization of streams and water reservoirs, including the creation of bioretention areas" and Development of original work cards for workshops entitled: Renaturalization of streams and water reservoirs, including the creation of bioretention areas.
5. Purchase 1 professional microscope with x 660 times magnifying camera.
6. Purchase of 10 digital light and/or fluorescent microscopes for conducting workshops, enabling magnifications in the range of 40-400x to 1200x.
7. Purchase of glass and laboratory equipment.
8. Purchase of 3 outdoor games.
9. Organization of a 1-day conference entitled: "The importance and role of wetlands in Poland" with the participation of 100 people.
Task 3. Creation of green areas, introduction of greening elements in built-up areas, including revitalization of degraded areas (park) - the task included the following:
1. Revitalization of the existing park on the premises of the educational facility - task performed by students under the supervision of teachers, purchase of materials, i.e. garden tools (scythe, scissors, spade, hoe), soil, grass, manure, fertilizer, flower pots, seeds
2. Creation of a public pocket park with a flower garden (historical roses)
3. Introduction of 6 small infrastructure facilities (5 benches and 1 fountain).
4. Building a rain garden.
5. 2 visits from children from Norway.
6. Conducting workshops "Planting vegetables and forest tree seedlings".
Task 4. Reducing waste production and its reuse, introducing recycling - the following tasks were carried out as part of the task:
1. Building a composter - a task performed by students under the supervision of teachers, purchasing materials, i.e. wood, glue, screws, angle brackets, dowels, drills, hammers, rods, gloves, buckets.
2. Purchase 5 bins for different types of waste: mixed, plastic/metal, organic, paper and glass.
3. Conducting workshops "Recycling workshops for children" and Preparing original worksheets for workshops entitled :"Recycling workshops for children".
Task 5. Building eco-educational areas - the following tasks were carried out as part of the task:
1. Purchase of educational boards thematically related to issues related to adaptation to climate change.
2. Purchase of outdoor educational games (puzzles, knowledge circles).
3. Nature and educational paths.
4. Field activities on educational paths and Development of original worksheets for classes on educational paths.
Task 6. Installation of small architecture directly related to the type of adaptation/mitigation action - the task included:
1. Purchase of an educational kit presenting the possibilities of producing energy from renewable sources:
- renewable energy educational set (a complete set of teaching aids demonstrating the principles of operation of renewable energy sources and fuel cells, and how these systems cooperate)
- educational suitcase - Renewable energy sources (8 water turbines, 8 syringes (+ turbine hoses), 8 hand generators with cranks, 8 wind turbines, 8 solar cells, 8 solar engines, 8 propellers, 8 LEDs, 8 LCD watches, 36 alligator clips, mounting materials, case with 3 foam inserts)
- Vertical axis wind turbine teaching kit (3 adjustable blade positions, rotor base and mounting magnets, axis assembly with removable coils, LED for power output demonstration, DIY blade kit).
2. Field activities at installations.
Task 7. Saving energy and saving drinking water - the following tasks were carried out as part of the task:
1. Facility lighting, lamps with LED fixtures. Powered by electricity from a micro photovoltaic installation.
2. Construction of 2 underground rainwater tanks with a rainwater collection installation.
Task 8. Supporting biodiversity - the task included the following:
1. Construction of an Eco garden (garden of cultivated vegetables), ecological crops - task performed by students under the supervision of teachers, purchase of materials, i.e. pots, buckets, seeds, a set of garden tools, a greenhouse, a tunnel.
2. Purchase of educational hives with an educational shelter and construction of houses for bees.
3. Creating conditions for the existence of bees and other pollinators (meadow) – 1 ha.
4. Creating houses and feeders for birds.
5. Conducting lessons in biology, chemistry and physics for students of the IB program using infrastructure supporting biodiversity, and Developing original substantive programs for lessons in biology, chemistry and physics, taking into account the IB program (International Baccalaureate).
Task 9. Information and promotional activities and project management - the following tasks were carried out as part of the task:
1. Preparing the website
2. Website update
3. Preparation of social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube)
4. Maintaining social media accounts
5. Advertising campaigns on social media
6. E-PR activities in local and industry media
7. Preparation of a basic package of graphic materials for the project: logo, PP layout, designs of posts, leaflets, templates for graphic materials for educational purposes and competitions.
8. Conference summarizing the implementation of the project.
9. As part of project management, remuneration was paid to: Project Manager (Małgorzata Tarnowska), Finance Specialist (Katarzyna Muraszew), Remuneration of Procurement Specialist (Katarzyna Cupryś), Remuneration of Training and Promotion Specialist (Elżbieta Zendel).
The implementation of the project led to an increase in awareness among children and young people and the local community of the Radzyń Podlaski commune regarding knowledge about climate change, as well as actions that can be taken to mitigate and adapt to these changes.
The implementation of the project made it possible to promote pro-ecological behavior and demonstrate it in practice through green and blue infrastructure such as: introduction of small water retention and appropriate management of rainwater, renaturalization of streams and water reservoirs, creation of bioretention, creation of green areas, recycling, creation of co-educational areas, supporting biodiversity, various educational and didactic paths, renewable energy educational installations.
The goal we achieved by implementing the project is to deepen the knowledge of students and the local community about the problems related to climate change and the actions that can be taken to mitigate these changes and adapt to them.
Through the project, we contributed to solving the problem of low awareness of students and the local community of the Radzyń Podlaski commune about reducing emissions, mitigating climate change and adapting to their effects.
Summary of bilateral results
Cooperation with donors provided additional knowledge and experience in implementing similar projects.The main effect at the bilateral level is common results - bilateral cooperation within the project resulted in sharing experience and knowledge and was joint work for common results, such as developing knowledge and practice.Contact may continue, but no concrete plans for cooperation to date