Today is tomorrow - let us respect the green heritage

Beneficiary:   Jarosław Town Commune

Slovak partner:   Mesto Svidnik

Implementation period:   01/04/2018-30/09/2018

Realized project value: € 26,076.33 , including ERDF co-financing: € 22,164.88 ,

The project partners used a form of nature protection, previously unknown in the borderland, which are rain gardens. By actively promoting pro-ecological attitudes, they contributed to reducing the problem of water deficit in urban spaces, as well as increasing public awareness for the sustainable use of water, the resources and quality of which are also part of the natural heritage. The project implementation brought about changes in the awareness of the borderland inhabitants and, through simple, inexpensive and effective solutions, i.e. the construction of rain gardens, contributed to the rational use of water resources. Additionally, the developed game and educational quiz may be used in the future as part of nature lessons at school.

The main activities carried out under the project:

• Development of a folder promoting the project with instructions on the construction of rain gardens . Through the information contained in the publication on the problem of protection and use of water resources, the awareness of the borderland society in shaping pro-ecological attitudes has been raised. Folders through the instructional photos are also an incentive to set up rain gardens. The publication was issued in 4,000 copies, in three language versions, and distributed to workshop participants and various institutions (schools, cultural institutions, foundations, associations).
• Organization of educational workshops in Jarosław . During the 3-day workshop addressed to adults and children from Poland and Slovakia, the tutors presented good practices in the field of environmental protection. An attempt was also made to solve a common problem of water quality and resources. Children and adults, under the supervision of experts, learned the principles of construction and operation of rain gardens and they created such gardens on their own. The open-air workshops consisted of creating rain gardens on the premises of 3 schools in places where rainwater accumulates, and 14 rain gardens in pots at the seat of the city authorities. The selection of such a diverse age group was not accidental, because educating the young generation in the spirit of respect for the environment is just as important as changing bad habits among adults. A total of 30 people from Poland and Slovakia participated in the workshops.
• Creation of e-products: educational game and educational quiz . As part of the task, two e-products were created: an educational game and an educational quiz in three languages: Polish, Slovak and English, presenting environmental issues. The quiz consists of a theoretical part containing issues related to, inter alia, ecology, the role of water and rain gardens. The second part consists of questions and answers to test the acquired knowledge. The quiz was prepared with older children in mind, while the educational game was created for the youngest, where in the form of a drawing the methods and types of behavior positively and negatively influencing the saving of water resources are presented.