"Ecological Sobieszewska Island" is a project implemented by the Community of Gdansk. It aims at developing the island and managing it in an ecologically friendly way with regard to agriculture, tourism, recreation and housing. In 1994, the City Council adopted an ecological resolution in respect to the island. Activities have been initiated to eliminate bacteriological load to the water and to reclaim industrial waste dumps. The Island has also been declared a protected zone.
The project icludes:
- installing a sewer system on the island
- changing heating systems from coal to gas
- the protection of forests and dunes
- the protection of existing preserves
- the development of green tourism
- ecological education
- improvement to traffic arrangements
- improvement in waste management
The island is situated in northern Poland on the Baltic Sea coast within the administrative borders of the City of Gdansk, and is part of the Vistula Sand Spit. The island has an area of 3216 ha and is inhabited by 3450 people.
There are two wildlife preserves on the Island, totalling an area of 232 ha. Both preserves are important resting places for thousands of birds migrating in the fall from Siberia to the western part of Europe and Africa, to return in the spring. Also thousands of ducks spend their winter in the area.
On the other hand, the sandy beaches and wide forest areas along the sea coast provide fine opportunities for recreation and water sports, and they are advantageous for tourism, especially for Gdansk agglomeration inhabitants. It is that only the water pollution in the Gulf has prevented Sobieszewo Island from becoming a perfect recreation centre.
For further information, please contact Ms Jadwiga Kopec, fax: +48 58 323 941.
