Programs and events 2005

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As a part of Earth Day celebrations, on April 21, 2005, the U.S. Consulate General in Krakow organized a videoconference to help promote the creation of Greenways - public bike and walking trails which run through cities and link urban and rural areas.

Paul Labovitz, Trails and Greenways Director, U.S. National Parks Service, answered questions and provided advice to a group that included Zbigniew Witkowski, the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Polish Ministry of Environment; Rafa Serafin and Dominika Zarba, members of Polish Environmental Partnership Foundation; Zofia Oszacka, the Mayor of Lanckorona (a small town in southern Poland) and journalists. The Polish panelists shared their experience on developing the Amber Trail Greenway in Poland and the challenges in engaging people in practical action for protecting the environment.

The U.S. experience with Greenways in Ohio is especially relevant to Poland because in this region there has been a long history of conflict between industrial development and nature conservation. Panelists agreed that getting money for the project is not the most vital part. Most important was not the final product, but the process of creating a Greenway by getting the support of the local community. The role of media was stressed in promoting the idea of Greenways and informing the community about the concept.

After the videoconference the U.S. Consul General in Krakow, Kenneth Fairfax, and the Mayor of Lanckorona, Zofia Oszacka, were interviewed by RMF radio about the importance of grassroots democracy.