Environment
The grant programmes we have been implementing with the long-term support of our corporate partners every year help civic associations and initiatives, schools and local government. The projects contribute to more beautiful and better quality public spaces, to hiking trails and to the creation of sites for relaxation and comfort. Thanks to these projects, which are implemented at a local level, cooperation between citizens, organizations and local government is intensified. Local citizens of all ages are involved in local development which in turn encourages and promotes good interpersonal relationships.
PROGRAMS:
Tree of the Year – The aim of the nationwide contest Tree of the year is to draw attention to the beauty and value of trees and awake people‘s interest in the environment. Peter Lipa, the well-known Slovak singer, was patron of the contest, making it his fifth time to be honoured. The partners are Slovenská sporiteľňa Foundation, Slovak environment agency, Dajama Publishing House, Artforum bookshop, ISA Slovensko (International Society of Arboriculture) and ABIES Gardening. The winning tree will obtain an expert arborist review and financial contribution by 200 euros. The nominated trees on 1st, 2nd and 3rd places will obtain the financial contribution by 200 euros and the people, who nominated this trees and 3 voting persons will win the books from ARTFORUM bookshop. The top three schools received planting materials from ABIES Garden Centre to a total value of 500 €. Contact: ragalova@ekopolis.sk
Green Belt – The programme supports sustainable care of ecologically valuable areas which are used by the public and it supports the concept of nature preservation and sustainability. Thanks to this there are actually 440 green oases in Slovakia this year. In the 19th year of the programme, which was opened by Ekopolis Foundation and SLOVNAFT, S.C., support was obtained for 27 projects to the sum of 61.000 €. Contact: stuberova@ekopolis.sk
Good Neighbour – The grant program Good Neighbour is focused to supporting active citizens, care and development of the good neighborhood and supporting relationships in city district in the immediate vicinity of the Slovnaft refinery – Vrakuňa, Podunajské Biskupice a Rovinka. Contact: stuberova@ekopolis.sk
Living Trails – The objectives of the programme are to support the sensitive renewal of marked hiking trails in Slovakia and enhancement of the recreational and educational functions of the Slovak countryside. Financial support has been directed towards restoration and improvement of hiking trails, educational paths and public spaces used by tourists. Contact: rohac@ekopolis.sk
Living Lab project will be implemented in collaboration with the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) – Arboretum Mlyňany and with the support from the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU). The primary goal of the project is to promote the broader adoption of regenerative agriculture and agroforestry practices in Slovakia. All activities planned within the project aim to support the implementation of innovative agricultural methods that benefit the environment and mitigate the negative effects of climate change. Contact: galik@ekopolis.sk
Platform For the Soil – The strategic goal of the Platform is to promote the concept of regenerative agriculture in Slovakia and gradually expand this concept in practice. Since 2021, the Ekopolis Foundation launched and maintains a web portal on the topic of regenerative agriculture and agroforestry https://prepodu.sk/ , which serves as a source of information and as a discussion forum for farmers and others interested in this topic. Ekopolis also shares the information actively – we mapped and identified agricultural enterprises with good practice in regenerative agriculture and agroforestry. We established a database of examples of good practice and entities interested in the topic. It includes the most important representatives of state administration, education, research, professional organizations, consulting firms, farmers and agricultural enterprises operating in Slovakia. Foundation organises its own or actively participate in professional events of nationwide but also local scope, where we share experiences and connect with active, or interested in and prospectively active organizations in the field of regenerative agriculture and agroforestry. In 2024, Ekopolis established a model and research agroforestry system using the principles of regenerative agriculture in cooperation with the Slovak Academy of Sciences – Mlyňany Arboretum. We purchased a no-till seeder, which will be lent to farmers from spring 2025 in cooperation with the Agricultural University of Nitra for establishing new regenerative fields. Contact: galik@ekopolis.sk