Call for solidarity with Polish village-protest against destructive mining plans
Published by MAC on 2003-07-07Call for solidarity with Polish village-protest against destructive mining plans
Save the unique cultural landscapes in the Polish Karkonosze mountain region
Rudawy Janowice landscape park, Mala Kamienica (county of Stara Kamienica), threatened area by mining industry
7th July 2003
Dear colleagues,
Today sustainable development is almost a standard plea within the tourism sector. Numerous policy documents are published, projects funded and conferences held. Professionals however often tend to forget that sustainable development is based upon small daily decisions made by individual entrepreneurs, consumers and governments. Sometimes simple (bureaucratic) decision can have a tremendous effect on the prospects for sustainable future for an entire region. Often one does not to be an academic or a professional to know what is sustainable or not...
Take the case of the Karkonosze and Izery mountains in South-West Poland. At present moment this region which has remained untouched for more than 50 years - is being invaded by mining companies trying to obtain long term mining concessions (just before EU accession?). It is however widely recognised that this region is unique in Europe in terms of its cultural heritage along with its historic landscapes and natural beauty.
Three international conferences organised by the Polish centre for the preservation of historic landscapes under the patronage of the International committee for historic gardens and cultural landscapes (ICOMOS-IFLA) have advised the Polish government to introduce the region into the UNESCO World Heritage list. Last year an international exhibition has been organised in Poland (Wroclaw, Jelenia Gora) and Germany (Berlin, Potsdam, Görlitz, Dresden) under the name "The Jelenia Gora (Hirschberg) valley of castels and gardens, our joint European heritage". Even in the 19th century the region was known for it's attractive and romantic landscapes when it was one of the most visited European regions (first by the European nobility, later by painters and middle class).
During communism the tourism industry was marginalized but is now slowly recovering and expected to grow steadily back to it's pre-war level. It is in this Polish region that local farmers initiated exactly 10 years ago the European Centre for Eco and Agro Tourism (ECEAT), today an international organization with branches in more 15 countries and 2.000 associated tourism accommodations promoting sustainable tourism. These first ECEAT farmers have shown successfully how tourism can contribute to sustainable development. Today however their efforts are in serious danger.
So far mining companies have obtained land in 4 villages. Applications for mining concessions have been submitted to the Polish government. Local governments have refused the present mining plans The communities however fear to be overruled by the provincial and national governments. They also expect - based on experiences elsewhere - a non-transparent decision making process.
It is felt that only with the strong support of national and international organizations local communities will be able to convince the Polish government that providing a mining concession is not an "administrative" matter to be decided by bureaucrats but first requires serious public discussion on the future development pattern for the region.
We therefore would like to request you - on behalf of the Village Protest-committees - to spend 20 minutes of your time and do one or more of the following things:
1. Give us a mandate (in case you are in the position) to put your organization under the enclosed protest letter. Send your: organization name, your name and position, your address, telephone, email-address, internet site to sender or to polen@pz.nl If possible we would appreciate also your specific motivation or opinion.
2. Send a signed (only your organization) copy of the protest letter to the Ministry and Province:
A. Ministry of Environment: Fax: +48 22 5792224, e-mail: minister@mos.gov.pl
B. Province of Lower Silisia: Fax +48 71 340 66 01, e-mail: bp@duw.pl
3. Send the letter further to your mailing list of organizations and individuals (or inform us about your contacts)
4. Publicise the "Alert" in your own media channels (and inform us about it)
5. Inform your media contacts or sent us your relevant media contacts (we are planning an
international media tour to the region)
6. Inform your Polish partners about this case and ask them to pressure their government
For more information or suggestions please do not hesitate to contact us.
Yours sincerely,
Naut Kusters
ECEAT - Projects
Barbara Jochymek
ECEAT Poland
Attached:
* Protest letter
* Organizations already signed
* Background information
ECEAT Projects
P.O. Box 10899, 1001 EW Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tel + 31 20 4651318,
n.kusters@eceat.nl
www.eceat.org
ECEAT - Poland
Bukowka 71, 58-420 Lubawka
Tel + 48 75 74 1 1395
info@poland.eceat.org
www.poland.eceat.org
Government Lower Silesia
President Minister
Sleziak
Dolnoslaski Urzad Wojewódzki
Zasobów Naturalnych
Wojewoda Stanislaw Lopatowski
Pl. Powstanców Warszawy 1
50-951 Wroclaw
Poland
Fax +48 71 340 66 01
bp@duw.pl
Ministry of Environment
Mr. Czeslaw
Ministerstwo Ochrony Srodowiska
i Lesnictwa
Warszawa, ul. Wawelska 52/54
00-922 Warszawa
Poland
Fax: +48 22 5792224
minister@mos.gov.pl
Dear Sir!
We hereby kindly request your refusal to permit the plans to open mines in the region of the Karkonosze and Góry Izerskie mountains.
The existing mine of NCC in Klopotnice (county of Mirsk) and the Pol-Skal company's plans in Karpniki (county of Janowice-Wielki) and Mala Kamienica (county of Stara Kamienica) will devastate this region's culturally and historically valuable landscapes. The area under threat is within or close to several protected landscape and nature parks in the Karkonosze (Giant mountains / Riesengebirge) and Góry Izerskie mountains of South-West Poland and is extremely valuable both in terms of its outstanding natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. This centuries old historical landscape is relatively unspoiled and has, even from a European perspective, a unique and one of the largest concentration of
monuments: castles, palaces, old farm houses, mills, churches and archaeological sites. This is why this region as an unsurpassed part of Europe's cultural heritage deserves to be maintained and protected.
The example of Klopotnica in the county of Mirsk illustrates the detrimental effects of stone mining, where with the support of the Swedish company NCC a mine has been established in 1999. Not only have the environment, cultural monuments and landscape been damaged beyond repair, but every form of sustainable development such as rural tourism, the local agrarian economy and the quality of life has been permanently curtailed. Research shows that the local population did not receive any benefits from the mine, either in terms of job opportunities or any other social or economic investments. To the contrary, the region has become visibly poorer and nowadays, a broad asphalt road where heavy trucks bearing stones drive along continuously is the only dominant feature
within the villages. Regular explosions cause large clouds of dust and the inhabitants live in fear of the dangerous uranium that was formerly mined here being released into the air.
Noise levels up to 5 km from the mine exceed any national and international standards. Many local farmers who have been investing in the development of agro tourism have lost their clients without any compensation.
We understand that mining is important to the economic development of Poland, therefore we request you to develop mining based on proper economic and environmental assessment - in areas that do not have primary touristic, cultural and nature protection functions. We also request you to create tourist facilities and other economic activities in the Karkonosze and Góry Izerskie mountains that do not conflict with this area's cultural monuments and landscape. We believe that this area has great potential for hosting economic activities that will benefit the local population as well as protecting the landscape and cultural heritage, such as the development of (rural) tourism which is seen by many national and international experts one of the main economic potentials for this region. Examples in other countries have shown that mining has a strong and long term negative impact on tourism development.
Several regional committees and village associations wish to present you with an alternative project plan in the near future and request your co-operation in this.
The undersigned organizations heartily support these initiatives and will contribute to them wherever possible.
We kindly request you to:
1. Immediately cancel all mining plans in the Karkonosze and Izery region.
2. Conduct based on international standards an independent environmental and social
assessment of the present mining activities and plans in Mirsk, Janowice and Stara Kamienica.
3. Identify possible alternative mining locations with less environmental impacts far from
natural and cultural valuable areas.
4. To act according to all relevant national and international laws.
5. Enshore a transparent and democratic decision making process.
6. To support and co-operate with the local population in the development of alternative
economic plans.
7. To create a proper legally based cultural, landscape and nature protection system for the region.
We are relying upon your insight and willingness to act in order to prevent the pollution and destruction of one of Poland (and Europe)'s! most valuable cultural landscapes.
Yours sincerely,
Organization:
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
E-mail:
Internet:
Organizations already signed
A. Local organizations
1. Mala Kamienica, village
Regina Domanska
Soltys (Village Administrator)
Regina
Domanska, Mala
Kamienica 21,
58-512 Stara
Kamienica
2.Antoniów, village
Aleksandra Zych
Soltys (Village Administrator)
Antoniów 6
58-512 Stara
Kamienica
3. Chromiec, village
Waldemar Kiecak
Soltys (Village Administrator)
Chromiec 79
58-512 Stara
Kamienica
4. Kopaniec, village
Zbigniew Lipinski
Soltys (Village Administrator)
Kopaniec 51
58-512 Stara
Kamienica
5. Klopotnica, village
Beverly Soudrette
Soltys (Village Administrator)
Klopotnice 10
59-630 Mirsk
6. The protest committee
(Komitet Protestacyjny)
Chromiec and Antoniów
Lucjan Markindorf
Chairman
Antoniów 28
58-512 Stara
Kamienica
7. The protest committee
Mala Kamienica
Józef Zaprucki
Chairman
Mala Kamienica
78, 58-512 Stara
Kamienica
8. The Association Friends of Karpniki
(Towarzystwo Przyjaciól Karpnik)
Katarzyna Kaminska
Chairman
Karpniki, ul.
Sportowa 4/1,
58-533 Karpniki
9. The Association Kopaniec
(Stowarzyszenie Kopaniec)
Piotr Kurowski
Chairman
Kopaniec 46/2
58-512 Stara
Kamienca
10. The Sudeten Association for village tourism
(Sudeckie Towarcystwo Turystyki Wiejskiej w. Jelenia Górze)
Barbara Glebocka
Chairman
Matejki 18
58-500 Jelenia
Góra
11. The Association for promotion of enterprises "Izery"
(Stowarzyszenie Promocji Przedsie biorczosci w Starej Kamienicy "Izery")
Józef Zaprucki
Chairman
Mala Kamienica
78, 58-512 Stara
Kamienica
12. Foundation Nemo for sustainable tourism and local development
(Fundacja Nemo)
Peter Spruijt
Director
Centrum Nemo,
Kopaniec-Miedyzlesie 5
58-512 Stara
Kamienica
nemo@pz.nl
13. Foundation for Ecological Culture
(Fundacja Kultury Ekologicznej)
Jacek Jakubiec
Chairman
ul. Strumykowa 2,
58-500 Jelenia
Góra
14. West Sudete Nature-Association
(Zachodniosudeckie Towarzystwo Przyrodnicze)
Roman Gramsz
Chairman
ul. Wolnosci 268,
58 - 560 Jelenia
Góra
15. Organization for Silesian Monuments
(Monumenta Silesiae)
Elisabeth von Küster
Chairman
Palac Lomnica, ul. Karpnicka 3,
58-513 Lomnica Dol
16. Karkonosze Museum
(Muzeum Karkonoskiego w Jeleniej Górze)
Stanislaw Firszt
Director
ul. Matejki 28,
58-500 Jelenia Góra
17. Fundacjia "TAMWIA PATRONIMIA
Waldemar Ciolek
Kowary, ul. Rzemieslnicza 21/8
16. Karkonosze Museum
(Muzeum Karkonoskiego w Jeleniej Górze)
Stanislaw Firszt
Director
ul. Matejki 28,
58-500 Jelenia Góra
17. Fundacjia "TAMWIA PATRONIMIA
Waldemar Ciolek
Kowary,
ul. Rzemieslnicza 21/8
18. Stowarzyszenie Artystyczno Ekologiczne "Reka Dzielo"
Piotr Romanowski
Chairman
Godkach 21,
11-042 Jonkowo
19. Stowarzyszenie Inicjatyw Spolecznych
EFFATA
Artur Lazowy
64-920 Pila, ul.
W. Witosa 26/5
effata@wp.pl
B. National Polish organizations
1. Ekoland, Association for Ecological Agriculture
(Stowarzyszenia Ekoland)
Mieczyslaw Babalski
Vice-president
ul.Kazimierzowska 23,
08-110 Siedlce
2. Association for the protection of landscapes
(Inicjatywa LESZA, Towarzystwo Ochrony Krajobrazu, Bialowieza)
Andrzej Janusz Korbel
3. Foundation Taking Care of the Earth
(Fundacji "Zadbac o Swiat")
Anna Mieszczanek
Chairman
00 991 Warszawa, p.o. box 74 Koordynatorka
kampanii Zrobione
Zaplacone, Mediatorka
w Osrodku Mediacji
Rodzinnych i
Spolecznych
4. ECEAT Poland
Barbara Jochimek
Chairman
Bukowka 71, 58-420
Lubawka
sebastian@sfo.pl
C. International organizations
1. Association for Protection of Silesian Art and Culture
(Verein zur Pflege Schlesischer Kunst und Kultur)
Horst Berndt
Chairman
Am Anger
131061 Alfeld,
Germany
2. Association for Interregional Exchange of Culture
(Gesellschaft für interregionalen Kulturaustausch e.V.)
Ellen Röhner
Chairman
pr. Oranienstr. 168,
10999 Berlin,
Germany
3. International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside (ICPPC)
Andrzej Glanowski
Chairman
34-146 Stryszów 156,
Poland
4. European Centre for Eco and Agro Tourism Projects
Naut Kusters
Director
Postbox 10899,
1001 EW, Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
n.kusters@eceat.nl
5. European Youth Forest Action (EYFA)
Agnieska Przygodzka
Board
Eyfa@eyfa.org
6. Action for Solidarity Environment Equality and Environment (A SEED)
Pim van Galen
Info@aseed.antenna.nl
7. ECOTRANS (European network for sustainable tourism development)
Herbert Hamele
Chairman
Herbert.hamele@ecotrans.de
8. European Parliament Environmental Commission
Alexander de Roo
Vice-Chairman
aderoo@europarl.eu.int
9. COECOCeiba-AT
Costa Rica
Isaac Rojas
Tel/cel: (506) 223-3925
Tel/cel. (506) 399-7203
10. Stichting Wólka
Rikus Hulscher
Director
Postbus 483,
6700 AL Wageningen
The Netherlands
Tel.: 0317- 425477
Background Information: Destructive Mining Plans Threaten Historic Landscapse in Karonosze and Izert Region in Poland
Unique historic landscape
North of the Giants' Mountains (Karkonosze) and Iron Mountains (Góry Izerskie) in the Jelenia Góra district in the south-west of Poland, you will find an unique combination of nature and culture. In this relatively unspoiled agrarian landscape there is a huge quantity of cultural and natural monuments, including historical landscape elements; castles; palaces; mills; archaeological sites; old picturesque villages and nature reserves. This outstanding international value has been recognised at 3 international conferences organised by the Polish centre for the preservation of historic landscapes under the patronage of Mr. Robert de Jong president of ICOMOS-IFLA (International UN committee for historic garden and cultural landscapes) who has advised to Polish government to introduce the region into the UNESCO word heritage list. Last year an international exhibition has been organised in Poland (Wroclaw, Jelenia Gora) and Germany (Berlin, Potsdam, Görlitz, Dresden) under the name of: "The Jelenia Gora (Hirschberg) valley of castels and gardens, our joint European heritage".
Mining plans
In the region and abroad, there is strong support to from many organizations and individuals protect this landscape by a combination of improving the local economy and the promotion of cultural-, health-and agro-tourism. But recently, these untouched cultural and natural landscapes are threatened by mining plans which may destroy all long lasting efforts to protect these most valuable landscapes and use them in a sustainable way.
Three examples are illustrative:
1. Klopotnica in the Mirsk county. The region around Klopotnica is severely damaged by a growing number of mines. The local communities have been opposing them using different kinds of judicial procedures, but so far unsuccessfully.
2. Karpniki in the Janowice county, in the protected landscape Park Rudawy Janowice. During the 19th century the summer residency of European Royalty. Here you find the highest concentration of castels, palaces and historic gardens in Europe (28 within an area of 10 km). The mining company Pol-Skal operates already a small mine but plans to
enlarge it considerably.
3. Stara Kamienica. Between Chromiec and Mala Kamienica. Pol-Skal wants
to open a 80 ha granite-mine close to the Nemo International Centre for walking and
nature tourism. The mining plans will mean the end of the Nemo Centre and its plans for rural tourism and local development. The local community officially opposes the mining plans. But they fear that the decision of the Province or National Government will be in favour of the mining company.
Effects of mining industry mean catastrophe for village life. The locals are very much afraid that the mining industry will lay open the dangerous uranium, which was exploited here many years ago The Polish company Pol-Skal wants to strip mine stone. They don't look for special stones; they need granite for new roads and some industries. They will blow up granite rocks causing enormous clouds of dust. Day and night, the noise of pulverising the stones will be heard from far around. Big trucks with stones will drive through the villages. One mine will effect an entire region. Recent research proves that mining industry does not improve employment or the local economy. On the contrary, the region will become much more impoverished.
Local communities fight for their landscape
Recently local communities started to protest against the demolition of their homeland. Even in small villages in the countryside, far from the towns, locals organise protest meetings and have emotional debates. They realise that the mining industry wipes out all aspects of sustainable development. They no longer believe the official stories about more employment and money for the region, because the case of Klopotnica illustrated that the mining industry caused a catastrophe for the region.
They also realise particularly that this region is in danger, and is in absolute need of sustainable development. Since the threats of the mining companies, they have united themselves in protest committees and associations. They want not only to protest, but also to develop alternative projects.
Alternative economic development
The free market in Poland leading to dumping of (subsidised) agricultural products from the EU - has pushed aside the traditional small-scale agriculture of the region which succumbs to economic isolation. Most agricultural land lies waste. Unemployment is high. Community spirit, vulnerable after the forced migrations in 1946 and forty-five years of communism has been steadily evaporated since 1990.Recently however residents have become aware of the special cultural-historical and ecological value of their district. Times are changing. Many initiatives have arisen: farmers developed accommodation and tourist arrangements; ecological farming started; outsiders started tourism enterprises in co-operation with locals; artists organised workshops and galleries; schools created programs about local history and legends; monuments have been restored: something of a new spirit woke up.
People started to care about their environment, after years of neglect. They expect that entrance into the EU would give new opportunities and support for environmental and sustainable development. Although Polish authorities and the European Union recognise that sustainable regional development should be approached integrally (social, ecological and economic problems should be solved in relation to each other) they have so far not offered sufficient instruments to support the locals, their protests against the mines, or their alternatives. There is a lack of opportunities for schooling and practical training for employment. There is a call for a combination of rural development that benefits local population and sustainable recreation, in which tourism contributes to the preservation of culture and nature.
A good example is the Nemo-project in Stara Kamienica, which is threatened directly by the mining plans. This project offers a combination of an education centre and an experimental farm in which local people can participate and integrate so as to promote community development. An important part of the project, therefore, is co-operation and exchange with local and (inter) regional non-profit organizations; entrepreneurs; farmers; artists; schools; and authorities. And, by chance, it has happened that the mine is planned
right in the place where the experimental farm is being planned..
European Centre for Eco and Agro Tourism - Projects
P.O. Box 10899, 1001 EW Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel + 31 20 4651318 (direct)
Tel + 31 20 6681030(secretariat)
Fax + 31 20 4630594
Private + 31 20 6160408
E-mail: n.kusters@eceat.nl
www.eceat.nl
www.yourvisit.info
www.greentravelmarket.info
ECEAT integrates sustainable land use, rural development and nature protection with tourism