23/09/2022 was an opportunity for Bioclimate park to prove that the cooperation of public, private and non-profit sector is the key to environmental challenges today. But it is important to address and engage the public and individuals as well.
Water for Rajec valley
A MEMORANDUM ON COOPERATION IN THE PILOT SOLUTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE RAJČIANKA RIVER BASIN was signed as a promise of such cooperation. The memorandum of cooperation was signed on this day by the Žilina self-governing region, represented by Erika Jurinová, the Civic Association Ecoenergy, represented by director Ladislav Židek, the company Kofola a.s., represented by the chairman of the board Jannis Samaras and member of the board Daniel Buryš, and the civic association NGO People and Water, represented by Michal Kravčík .
The parties to the memorandum agreed on mutual cooperation in the implementation of pilot water retention solutions in the upper basin of the Rajčiankya River. Working meetings and consultations will be part of the cooperation. The input expert documents that contain the proposed solutions for water retention in the upper basin of the Rajčianka River are: “Recovery of the climate of the Žilina Region” with a model solution for the Rajecka Valley by a professional group of experts within the document Strategy of the Žilina Autonomous Region 22+ and “Program for the Permanent Regeneration of Water Resources in the Rajecka Valley ,” from the initiative of OZ Ekoenergia and Kofola, a.s.
The first pilot solutions, which are two water retention measures (check dams), were installed in July 2022 as part of the CLIMA BEST project – Best experiences for a better climate, in cooperation with the municipality Ďurčiná and CA Ecoenergy, while they demonstrated their full functionality during heavy rainfall already at the end of July 2022. Further water retention measures will be installed in 2022 and 2023 in full cooperation with the municipalities of the Rajčianka basin. Expert work will be led by Michal Kravčík – an expert in water, drought and climate change solutions.
Experience from Norway a Workshops for climate
The signing of the memorandum was also watched by the partners of the CLIMA BEST project from Norway, as well as the Slovak partner and colleagues from the Slovak Environment Agency in Banska Bystrica. As part of the project, we share our experience in working with the public in raising the awareness of various target groups about mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
We jointly prepared climate workshops for the public, which presented the topics of rainwater retention in the country, ecological transport, ecological heating and circular economy to the participants in an engaging way. We also thank Mr. Pavol Suty from EKOSTAV Oscadnica and Mr. Matej Plesnik from POH, s.r.o. registered social enterprise. for their cooperation.
The event was attended by more than 150 participants from Rajec valley, who had the unique opportunity to ride an e-bike,, to try out how water retention measures work in an agricultural, urbanized or forested landscape. We introduced them to wood pellets as modern energy from wood, presented energy savings in households and the use of solar energy and biomass. They were also interested in various elements of green infrastructure as an example of circular economy. In addition to the workshops, the participants were also attracted by the lush environment of the Bioclimate Park, which after a rainy week became even greener and invited visitors to take a walk to the filled lake on the hill, to the fruit orchard of old varieties and the newly established vineyard.
After completing the workshops, the participants demonstrated the acquired knowledge and willingness to behave more climate-friendly by completing a knowledge quiz. Among the successful participants, the winner of a 1000 l rainwater tank donated by the company Kofola a.s. was drawn at the end.
