III Monitoring Visit.
Evaluation of the project implementation in terms of technical and finance parts.
On November 15-16, 2023, the third monitoring visit of the project „Silesia. Blue Sky Restored” took place.
The aim was to verify the correctness of the project implementation in both technical and financial aspects.
Equally important was the meeting of project managers, including subregional coordinators and content partners, with monitors representing the European Commission.
The meeting was opened by Barbara Kubiak, Director of the Department of Investments and Regional Projects of the Marshal's Office of the Silesian Voivodeship, where the project is being implemented.
The European Commission was represented by technical monitor Stanisław Tworek and financial monitor Blanka Polakova from the ELMEN EEIG consortium, responsible for monitoring LIFE projects (grants for LIFE actions) and non-governmental organizations receiving funding from the LIFE program (operational LIFE grants), as well as providing thematic support to beneficiaries.
The first day of the visit was marked by presentations of achievements by the Coordinating Beneficiary, Project Partners, and Eco-Managers.
The meeting with the monitors at the „Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park Museum in Chorzów" was led by project manager Damian Olma.
General financial information about the project was presented by Sabina Słomiany, coordinator for financial and organizational matters.
After the general part, representatives of co-beneficiaries began meetings in groups: technical and financial.
The implementation of tasks in the development of models to reduce environmental impact in public utility buildings was presented by Prof. Dr. Eng. Andrzej Szlęk from the Silesian University of Technology and Dr. Helena Jadwiszczok-Molencka, a specialist in sustainable buildings.
Professor Andrzej Szlęk also summarized the first edition of postgraduate studies „EcoEnergetyka.”
Katarzyna Rychlewska from the Institute of Fuels and Energy Technologies presented progress in activities related to supporting the implementation of the anti-smog resolution and the Air Protection Program in the Silesian Voivodeship. She discussed the monitoring of PM10 dust pollution using drones in areas with so-called „low emission” hotspots. She also presented activities aimed at raising the competencies of control services and increasing the effectiveness of conducted controls.
Dr. Leszek Trząski, Deputy Director for Scientific and Educational Affairs at the Silesian Botanical Garden, and Agnieszka Wandzel, a specialist in green areas, discussed the progress of work in the implementation of four demonstration case studies aimed at increasing the green areas in the Silesian Voivodeship.
Actions in the field of promoting good practices and study visits on optimizing urban transport systems and reducing transport emissions were presented by Jiří Vzientek, Director of EUWT TRITIA.
Representatives of Subregions praised the achievements in the implementation of the project in the Silesian Voivodeship and the municipalities that are project partners:
- Agata Albrecht from the Union of Municipalities and Counties of the Western Subregion of the Silesian Voivodeship based in Rybnik,
- Dominika Bukalak-Gaik from the Union of Municipalities and Counties of the Northern Subregion,
- Wojciech Sałabun from the Union of Municipalities and Counties of the Central Subregion of the Silesian Voivodeship,
- Joanna Barut from the Association of Municipalities and Counties of the Southern Subregion of the Silesian Voivodeship Agglomeration Beskidzka based in Bielsko-Biała.
The activities of the Intermunicipal Association for Ecology in Żywiec were presented by Sylwia Capanda-Migdał.
Then, informational-educational and promotional activities, cooperation with other projects, monitoring of the effects of the Air Protection Program in the Silesian Voivodeship implementation, and the system and effects of project management were presented.
Parallel to the technical team, the team of finance specialists, under the leadership of Sabina Słomiany, conducted their work. Financial monitor Blanka Polakova drew attention to the most important elements of proper settlements and financial reporting.
An additional attraction of the stay at the „Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park Museum in Chorzów” was a short walk combined with viewing the most interesting exhibits.
After the official end of the first day of the visit, project monitors were invited to tour the largest revitalized space in the Silesian Voivodeship, the former Park of Culture and Recreation, and now the Silesian Park.
The green lungs of Silesia are, in fact, former mining heaps, wastelands, and other types of mining areas, forming a barrier between Chorzów, Katowice, and Siemianowice Śląskie. According to the idea of Gen. Jerzy Ziętek, this area was to connect, not divide, hence, in addition to the social greening of the entire space, conceptual work was commissioned, and then the implementation of investments, including: a zoo, an amusement park, an ethnographic park, a stadium, a kayak harbor, a rose garden, a cable car, the largest planetarium in Poland, numerous restaurants, and gastronomic points.
Participants of the tour had the opportunity to walk through the park in its autumn setting, listen to stories and interesting facts, and also participate in an astronomical session in the revitalized building of the Silesian Planetarium.
The second day of the monitoring visit took place in the hospitable premises of the Silesian Botanical Garden in Mikołów. The host was Paweł Kojs, the Director of the Garden.
During the meeting at the Silesian Botanical Garden – Associations of Societies, the progress of activities carried out by the Partner in the project, including the advancement of work related to action C.4 „Concepts for increasing green areas,” was discussed. The garden's activities, consisting of the protection of biological diversity, including the cultivation of rare and endangered plant species, as well as their transfer to suitable habitats, conducting scientific research in cooperation with the Polish Academy of Sciences, were also presented. Moreover, the idea of creating a garden, based on the natural inventory in the village of Mikołów-Mokre, where unique elements of the natural environment have been preserved, was also presented.
At the end of the day, guests had the opportunity to tour the garden.
The monitoring visit turned out to be satisfying and valuable for both parties. The next one will take place before the end of the second phase of the project.
Projekt zintegrowany LIFE "Śląskie. Przywracamy błękit". Kompleksowa realizacja programu ochrony powietrza dla województwa śląskiego realizowany jest przy dofinansowaniu z Programu LIFE Unii Europejskiej oraz Narodowego Funduszu Ochrony Środowiska i Gospodarki Wodnej.
LIFE20 IPE/PL/000007 - LIFE-IP AQP-SILESIAN-SKY