Acronym

CleanBug

NUMBER

PLUA.01.03-IP.01-0002/23

Project type

Regular project

STATUS

During implementation

PRIORITY

ENVIRONMENT

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE

1.3 Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution

LEAD PARTNER

Drohiczyn Commune (Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland)

PARTNER

Dobrotvir Town Council (Lviv Oblast, Ukraine)

Project description

The Bug River Valley is a key element of the cross-border shared ecosystem. It plays an important role in ecological security because it provides important ecosystem services.  However, this area is not free from threats such as pollution, illegal landfills, low level of waste recycling, low awareness of sensitive issues among stakeholders and residents, and insufficient green areas in cities.

CleanBug project aims to protect the biodiversity of the cross-border ecosystem of the Bug Valley through the joint actions to reduce pollution, develop green infrastructure, and promote environmental education. It involves supplementing the waste management infrastructure with specialised garbage trucks and the creation of 18 places for waste segregation, and liquidation of illegal landfills on both sides of the border with a total area of 4,561 ha (1 ha PL, 3,561 ha UA), as well as renovation of landfill sites by planting about 500 trees and enrichment of the urban and degraded area with green infrastructure in Dobrotvir with an area of 2,95 ha. The project will also include cleaning the banks and the bed of the Bug River, as well as an extensive educational campaign. Moreover, an innovative exhibition and educational space will be created in Drohiczyn.  A study of best practices for protecting the biodiversity of the Bug Valley and handling municipal solid waste will be summarised in a handbook of good practices. The project activities will cover 4 Natura 2000 areas and 5 other protected areas. About 3000 people will participate in project activities such as study visits, a conference, cleaning campaigns, a competition, and picnics.

Thanks to the implementation of the project, the condition of the Bug Valley ecosystem will be improved, which will contribute to the tourism development of the region.