An international conference closing the three-year’s LUMAT project

On the 15-16 of April 2019 an international conference closing the three-year’s LUMAT project was held. The aim of the final conference was to sum up and evaluate the project outcomes. It was also an opportunity to discuss current problems of spatial management in functional urban areas with space as an environmental resource.

Contemporary cities, especially Central European ones, face challenges such as urban sprawl, surface sealing, presence of degraded areas or the need to protect natural values created spontaneously in degraded areas. Furthermore, the administrative boundaries of the cities no longer reflect the physical, environmental, social or cultural links in the city. The so-called urban functional areas (FUAs), are formed, i.e. spatially continuous settlement systems composed of separate administrative units, covering a compact urban area and functionally connected urban areas.

Solving urban functional area (FUA) problems is a challenge for the city authorities, whose areas are within them, because FUAs are not formal administrative structures. They require - apart from an integrated approach to project planning and implementation - the creation of partnerships involving entities at various management levels, which are able to implement these projects.

During the conference a panel discussion with the participation of representatives of government and local government administration of Poland and Germany, as well as a panel with the participation of project partners took place. The discussion focused on the needs and challenges urban areas must face in the context of climate change and the still existing degraded areas threatening the health of residents and occupying valuable space in city centres. The solutions proposed under the project and their usefulness for other areas were also discussed.

During the conference the results of a photo contest organised by Italian partners from the LINKS Institute in Turin were announced. The second prize in the contest went to Marta Fudała from IETU.

On the second day of the conference the participants visited the site of the investment realised under the project on the area of ​​a zinc spoil heap in Ruda Śląska. A park and a recreation area was created there with numerous attractions such as: playground, outdoor gym, viewpoint, area for extreme BMX rallies, barbecue sites and sports ground.

More information about the project can be found at: https://www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/LUMAT.html

Agenda of LUMAT final conference

PRESENTATION:

1. INTERREG Programme for Central Europe Christophe Ebermann, INTERREG Programme for Central Europe, Joint Secretariat, Austria

2. LUMAT Project - objectives, main activities and results Anna Starzewska - Sikorska, IETU, LUMAT Lead Partner, Poland

3. Presentation of the project PHOTOCONTEST results, prize distribution, Matteo Tabasso, Italy

4. Representative of Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community Jürgen Neumüller, Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, Germany

5. Representative of Ministry of Investment and Economic Development Teresa Marcinów , Ministry of Investment and Economic Development, Poland

6. Representative of Ministry of Environment Szymon Tumielewicz, Ministry of Environment, Poland

7. GreenerSites - Environmental Rehabilitation of B rownfield Sites in C entral Europe Grzegorz Boroń, City of Bydgoszcz, Poland

8. MaGICLandscapes - Managing Green Infrastructure in Central European Landscapes Stefania Grasso of Citta d Metropolitana Torino, Italy

9. UGB - Smart integrated models for sustainable management of urban green spaces for creating more healthy and liveable urban environments (Urban Green Belts) Przemysław Szwałko, Krakow Municipal Greenspace Authority, Poland

Presentation of the project pilot areas

2. Trnava – Tomas Gunis, City of Trnava, Slovakia

3. Saxony – Karl Eckert, Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology, Germany

4. Torino – Irene Mortari, Stefania Grasso, Metropolitan City of Torino, Italy

5. Voitsberg – Anton Schabl, Energy Centre, Austria

6. Ostrava – Barbara Voivodikova , Institute for Sustainable Development of Settlements, Ostrava, Czech Republic

7. Kranj – Janez Ziherl City of Kranj, Slovenia

More infomartin about the LUMAT project https://www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/LUMAT.html