PolarecCe

The Research Project PoLaRecCE

21/10/2026

On 20 October 2026, the PoLaRecCE team from the University of Bologna took part in the Fiera delle Idee, held at DumBO in Bologna as part of the Festival della Cultura Tecnica, with an activity for lower secondary school students.

Through simple experiments, the students explored how soils with different compositions behave when exposed to various substances and discussed the role of soil properties in interactions with pollutants.

The activity provided an opportunity to introduce PoLaRecCE, a project investigating the restoration of degraded and contaminated soils through non-food crops and sustainable management practices, and to reflect on together the importance of protecting this resource.

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna | Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Zabrzu | Gruppo FOS | ANCI Liguria | BOKU University | Oikon Ltd. - Institute of Applied Ecology | Občina Ormož

19/10/2026

Between October 5 and 9, 2026, staff from the Institute of Environmental Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IEE PAS) visited experimental plots established in partner countries as part of the international PoLaReCE project.
News text

A team from the IEE PAS visited pilot sites in Hungary managed by Sándor Horváth and his company, Woodech Zrt. These included an abandoned agricultural site in the Southern Great Plain (Dél-Alföld) region—currently used as a dumping ground for various types of waste, such as concrete, bricks, and household refuse—as well as a site in the town of Békés, which serves as an example of a typical, overexploited agricultural area. At these pilot locations, plantations of energy crops have been established, featuring a diverse mix of species—including black locust, Siberian elm, and white poplar—with the aim of achieving better outcomes and fostering biodiversity.
The next stop on the trip was a visit to Ormož, Slovenia. Roman Rozman, from the Ormož municipal administration, presented a white mulberry plantation established on land that had been degraded by a clay mine.

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna | Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Zabrzu | Gruppo FOS | ANCI Liguria | BOKU University | Oikon Ltd. - Institute of Applied Ecology | Občina Ormož

13/10/2026

On 24 September 2026, the PoLaRecCE project was presented through a poster at OpenDISTAL, held at the University of Bologna. This year’s event focused on “Agri-food systems in transition: adaptation, energy and new production perspectives”.

Displayed in the area dedicated to soil research, the poster offered participants an opportunity to learn about the project’s objectives and activities, focused on the management and restoration of degraded and contaminated soils, and to ask questions and find out more.

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna | Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Zabrzu | Gruppo FOS | ANCI Liguria | BOKU University | Oikon Ltd. - Institute of Applied Ecology | Občina Ormož

26/08/2026

PoLaRecCE Database for Degraded Agricultural Soils in Central Europe
Managing contaminated and degraded agricultural soils is a major challenge across Central Europe. To support better, evidence based solutions, our project has developed a regional database mapping degraded lands, soil contamination types, and related ecological issues.
This resource is a core project output and has been designed as a dynamic, long term tool: fully functional now, and ready to integrate new datasets as regions contribute additional information over time.
The database is open to all municipalities in Central Europe, as well as institutions and organizations across Europe working on soil management and environmental monitoring. By ensuring open access, we aim to strengthen collaboration and support informed decision making for sustainable land management.
Here is the link to access the database: https://apfel.gruppofos.com:8443/Polarecce

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna | Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Zabrzu | Gruppo FOS | ANCI Liguria | BOKU University | Oikon Ltd. - Institute of Applied Ecology | Občina Ormož

05/06/2026

PoLaRecCE meeting in Zabrze

The PoLaRecCE partners met in Zabrze on 27–28 May for two productive days of field visits and project discussions. The first day took us through the demonstration sites in Bytom, Trzebinia and Skawina, where we explored practical solutions for restoring degraded and post industrial land.
The second day continued with updates on project progress, budget status, communication activities, the project database and the action plans developed across all pilot sites.
It was a valuable opportunity to align the next steps and prepare for the upcoming meetings.
Thank you to the Institute of Environmental Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences for being such a great host and creating the perfect environment for collaboration!

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna | Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Zabrzu | Gruppo FOS | ANCI Liguria | BOKU University | Ltd. - Institute of Applied Ecology | Občina Ormož

22/05/2026

Educational activity with students

On May 21, the University of Bologna team involved in the PoLaRecCE project carried out a new educational activity with students from the 1D class of the Gozzadini middle school in Castenaso.

Through simple experiments and observations, students explored how different soils interact with pollutants and discussed the importance of soil health in everyday life.

The activity offered a practical and interactive way to explore these topics, encouraging curiosity and participation among the students while raising awareness on soil health and sustainability.

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna | Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Zabrzu | Gruppo FOS | ANCI Liguria | BOKU University | Oikon Ltd. - Institute of Applied Ecology | Občina Ormož

14/05/2026

PoLaRecCE presented at the “Peony for Europe” event in Genoa

On 11 May, Genoa hosted “Peony for Europe - Innovation and results of Interreg projects in Liguria” at the Council Hall of the Metropolitan City of Genoa.
A day dedicated to European culture, civic participation, and the value of cooperation between territories.

Paolo Lambertini, Mayor of Cairo Montenotte, presented the PoLaRecCE project, with a specific focus on the Italian Pilot Site.

Organised by the Regional Authority of Liguria and ANCI (PoLaRecCE partner), the event offered a meaningful opportunity to highlight intergenerational dialogue, promote European awareness, and strengthen the connection between the city and the opportunities provided by EU programmes.

The meeting also showcased the results and best practices developed within European Territorial Cooperation (Interreg), demonstrating the impact and relevance of cross border collaboration.

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna | Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Zabrzu | Gruppo FOS | ANCI Liguria | BOKU University | Oikon Ltd. - Institute of Applied Ecology | Občina Ormož

11/05/2026

DISTAL Photo Contest

During the DISTAL Photo Contest at the University of Bologna, the PoLaRecCE project was also represented by a series of photographs taken during research activities. One of these images was selected as the winning photograph of the contest.
The photographs capture different moments of the project: sample preparation in the Bologna laboratory illuminated by the sunset light, an improvised lunch break during a sampling campaign in Hungary, and a sampling activity in Castenaso carried out under the rain, in the typically unpredictable conditions of fieldwork.
Three images that offer a concrete glimpse into the daily reality of research: laboratory work, field campaigns, travel and the shared moments that accompany the projec

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna | Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Zabrzu | Gruppo FOS | ANCI Liguria | BOKU University

22/04/2026

PoLaRecCE disseminated during the Seminar on the Management of Degraded Areas

On April 15, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection of the Marshal's Office of the Opole Voivodeship organized a seminar dedicated to the management of degraded areas, with the participation of 55 representatives from regional and local administrations.

Researchers from the Institute of Environmental Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Project LP) contributed to the event by presenting activities related to the Interreg Central Europe project PoLaRecCE – New chance for Polluted Lands. Their presentations covered the project’s objectives, forms of soil degradation in the Silesian Voivodeship, results of municipal surveys, and the assumptions of the Soil Monitoring Law (SML).
At the end of the first part of the seminar, the possibility of using the soil magnetometry method was presented. (ISO 21226:2019) for the preliminary detection of soil contamination (screening).

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna | Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Zabrzu| Gruppo FOS | ANCI Liguria | BOKU University

20/04/2026

On April 16th, the PoLaRecCE project met Class 1B of Gozzadini Middle School in Castenaso for a hands-on learning activity.

Twenty 11-year-old students and their teachers explored how different soils react to pollutants through experiments, turning the classroom into a small laboratory.

The initiative sparked curiosity and helped students understand how soil properties influence the retention and movement of pollutants, highlighting the role of soil health in everyday life.

Castenaso Municipality plays a key role in the PoLaRecCE project as a demonstration site, making this activity particularly meaningful in connecting research with the local environment.

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna | Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska Polskiej Akademii Nauk w Zabrzu| Gruppo FOS | ANCI Liguria | BOKU University

Indirizzo

Via E. Melen 77, Ed. A Piano 6
Genova
16126

Sito Web

https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/polarecce/

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