Stephan Treuke, PhD, an expert in river restoration from Technische Universität Dortmund, visited the University of Silesia in Katowice from 21 to 23 October 2024, on the invitation of Prof. Andrzej Kowalczyk, all within the project of the Green Science Zone. Treuke’s, PhD, visit was an opportunity to exchange experience in terms of bringing rivers back to urban spaces, based on his experience in restoring the Emscher, a river in the Ruhr Area, Germany.
The visit started with Treuke, PhD, joining Prof. Kowalczyk and Kinga Ślósarczyk, PhD, on a field trip along the Rawa, where they discussed the local challenges related to the river’s restoration. Afterwards, Treuke, PhD, attended a meeting with students at the Faculty of Social Sciences to present the multi-stage process of the Emscher restoration that transformed an open wastewater channel into a friendly ecosystem. The example of the Rawa and its potential in undergoing a similar process was discussed together with Krzysztof Bierwiaczonek, PhD, DLitt, Assoc. Prof. and Witold Mandrysz, PhD.
The next day was equally productive as the process of the Rawa renovation was discussed in terms of climate and urban changes within a conference entitled ‘Rawa – yesterday, today and tomorrow’ at Kazimierz Lepszy Lecture Hall. In his talk, Treuke, PhD, emphasised the significance the collaboration between NGOs, scientific institutions, municipal enterprises, and the local community has for the outcomes of the renovation to be long-lasting and effective. The group of speakers included Prof. Andrzej Kowalczyk; Damian Absalon, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof.; Krzysztof Bierwiaczonek, PhD, DLitt, Assoc. Prof.; Aneta Moczkowska, Plenipotentiary of the Rector for the Green Science Zone; and Lucyna Sadzikowska, PhD, DLitt, Assoc. Prof., who moderated the meeting. The event was also attended by Prof. Ryszard Koziołek, the Rector of the University of Silesia; Wojciech Saługa, the Marshall of the Silesian Voivodeship; Waldemar Bojarun, the Deputy Mayor of Katowice; Danuta Kamińska, Deputy Chair of the Management Board of Metropolis GZM; and Dariusz Laska – USil Chancellor.
On his last day of the visit, Treuke, PhD met with the authorities of the University of Silesia and the team for the Green Science Zone to deliberate on the next steps of the project. The deliberations covered the feasibility of introducing the solutions developed during the Emscher renovation in terms of the Rawa, incl. creating a recreation zone and green areas to foster biodiversity. Treuke, PhD emphasised that the Rawa renovation may give Katowice a spur to develop a unique and sustainable space that augments the city’s infrastructure and reinforces urban identity.
