Women from In Gremio want people in Bolesławiec to breathe healthier air and for the city to have more clean air. What are they proposing?
Our association is deeply interested in implementing the idea of a “Green Bolesławiec.” We firmly believe that various sectors of the city community must become involved in building environmental awareness. Our proposals arise from this conviction. We have approached those responsible for environmental protection and development, as well as for local spatial development plans, asking them to create so-called pocket parks within our city and include them in the city’s green strategy. Pocket parks are small green areas that allow residents to use greenery for recreation close to home. They improve residents’ quality of life and have a very positive effect on the urban microclimate. Many cities in Poland and around the world create such places, and we—as city residents—are calling for their creation as well. We see many undeveloped spaces in our city where trees have been cut down. It would be natural to create small green areas in such places.
We also propose using oxygen trees in public spaces in response to environmental degradation and growing air pollution. These trees produce more oxygen than deciduous trees and grow very quickly, which enables them to absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide very rapidly.
We ask that our proposals be publicized. At the same time, we declare our willingness to participate in creating pocket parks and planting oxygen trees. We are also ready to suggest locations where trees could be planted or a park created.
What is an oxygen tree?
The “oxytree” oxygen tree is a fast-growing tree that is not demanding in terms of climatic conditions. The plant grows exceptionally quickly—it can reach a height of 16 meters and a trunk diameter of more than 30 cm in six years. With such rapid growth, it absorbs enormous amounts of carbon dioxide and consequently also produces a great deal of oxygen—10 times more than other deciduous trees.
Pocket parks
A small publicly accessible park. The maximum size of such a green space is considered to be 5,000 m². Pocket parks are often created on a single small undeveloped plot or on a small, irregularly shaped piece of land between building plots. They can also be created as part of a property within larger development projects, based on the requirements of the local spatial development plan. A pocket park forms a distinct enclave within more or less dense development.
