Plant Filter Islands with Global Giving
Plants Filter Islands
Social impact on the natural aquastic environment
GlobalGiving is a nonprofit organization that supports other nonprofits by connecting them with donors and companies. Since 2002, it has been helping trusted, community-led organizations around the world access the tools, training and support they need to make our world a better place.
“Making the world a better place” and involving the community in this is also the goal of our institute that works to protect the water environment and popularize new food production technologies. Common values united the people of our organization and GlobalGiving and enabled the implementation of the „Plant Filtration Islands” project to begin in March 2024.
The aim of the project is to activate the local community, non-governmental organizations and companies to engage in environmental protection, in particular to encourage the inhabitants of Wrocław to take actions that improve the state of water.
The project is an example of a grass-roots initiative showing integration and equality of environments and generations in solving the problem of water pollution, including the Odra River, on which we live. It will involve developing an original design of a filtration island, building test islands, launching them on the river and testing their effectiveness in the water purification process.
Primary and secondary school students, teachers, company employees, and residents of Wrocław and the surrounding area will be involved in the project activities. Together, using positive energy, knowledge and experience, we will design, build and moor 5 islands on the Odra River; all under the watchful eye of the team from our institute.
We would like to thank State Water Holding – Polish Waters for its support and assistance in the implementation of the project.
Plants Filter Islands 2nd Edition
Natural purification of water by plants and protection of reservoirs from pollution from farms and agriculture
Phase II of the “Plant Filter Islands” project addresses the effectiveness of natural water purification by plants and the protection of reservoirs from pollution from farms and agriculture. Conventional agriculture using synthetic fertilizers for crops provides rapid growth and food security, but also has side effects such as soil and water pollution. Substances from fertilizers are largely harmful to the biodiversity of aquatic environments, running off into rivers and water bodies, polluting them and reducing the diversity of fish and other aquatic organisms.
Awareness of environmental protection, especially with regard to local water bodies, fields, meadows and forests among residents of villages and small towns, is insufficient, and confidence in their ability to solve local problems on their own is very low.
Therefore, the project will serve as an example of a grassroots initiative demonstrating integration and equality between different communities and generations in addressing water pollution, including ponds, lakes, rivers and streams surrounding residents, especially in rural areas near farmland and farms.
The project will be tasked with involving the local community in solving local problems such as water pollution and its impact on aquatic ecosystems, biodiversity and the health of local residents. The program will focus on developing methods of natural water purification. Participants in the project, including villagers and small towns, children, youth and teachers, will diagnose local pollution problems, such as fish and bird deaths, surface water pollution and health problems among people living near water bodies. The Water Institute will prepare an educational program for residents and schoolchildren to raise awareness of the dangers of excessive or improper fertilization.
In addition to participating in environmental education workshops, project participants will build plant islands, planting selected plant species with filtering properties. We will place the islands on the lake, and after 3 months we will examine the plant material and, together with data from sensors measuring pollution levels, prepare a report with data that can be used to plan systemic solutions for water body treatment and environmental education.
