From October 2 to 6 this year, an environmental camp organized by I LO im. W. Broniewskiego in Bolesławiec was held in Świeradów Zdrój.
The participants were 40 students from secondary schools belonging to the Towarzystwo Szkół Twórczych.
The inauguration took place in the reading room of the Bolesławiec secondary school. The camp was opened by the principal of I LO, Stanisław Małkowski, in the presence of vice-president Stanisław Jasiukiewicz. Class IIa prepared the artistic programme. We then visited the municipal wastewater treatment plant and learned about its operations. The next item on the programme was the “Wizów” Chemical Plant, where major pro-environmental investments had been made, making the plant only minimally harmful to the environment. In the afternoon, we arrived in Świeradów Zdrój and were accommodated at the Dom Wczasów Dziecięcych. The camp was conceived and organized by Prof. Hubert Prabucki, who stayed with us throughout the camp. That evening, an integration meeting led by Prof. Maria Synarecka took place.
On the second day, we went to Sobieszów to the Museum of the Karkonosze National Park, where the Gontarek couple presented the history and problems of the park. The lecture was accompanied by a presentation of several dozen slides showing the flora, fauna and landforms of the Karkonosze Mountains. After returning, we toured Świeradów Zdrój; everyone particularly enjoyed the park and the spa house. In the evening, two interesting environmental films were screened: the first about the condition of the Jizera Mountains, and the second about the causes and effects of the thinning ozone layer.
On Wednesday, our main destination was the Environmental Monitoring station in Czerniawa, where we learned about methods of measuring air pollution. In the evening, everyone took part in an environmental quiz prepared by Prof. Stefania Marcinów-Szwabowicz, which selected the finalists.
On Thursday morning, the environmental quiz final was held. The first three places were taken by students of I LO in Bolesławiec: Izabela Stankiewicz from class IVc, Agata Tarnowska from class IIIc, and Izabela Jakubowicz, also from class IIIc. A competition for the best environmental poster was also decided. First place went to Agata Tworkowska from I LO in Kraków, second place to Andrzej Wołkowicz from I LO in Rzeszów, and third place to Magdalena Gawron, a student of I LO in Bolesławiec from class IIIe. After the competition, we went on a mountain excursion and climbed, among other places, Szrenica and visited Kamieńczyka Waterfall.
On Friday, everyone listened with interest to a lecture by Prof. Tadeusz Borys of the Academy of Economics in Jelenia Góra. The lecture concerned, among other things, economic and legal issues related to environmental protection. Afterwards, the camp was ceremonially concluded, and the winners of the environmental quiz and the competition for the best environmental poster were awarded books. In conclusion, I think that we all expanded our knowledge of ecology and environmental protection and became aware that our future depends on our ability to solve environmental problems.
In closing, on behalf of all the participants, I would like to thank the sponsors who made the camp possible. They were:
The Voivodeship Fund for Environmental Protection and Inland Waters in Jelenia Góra, “Wizów” Chemical Plant S.A., “Bonitex” Technical Fabrics Plant S.A., and “Agora” Bookshop – Rynek 28.