Carpathian Star Way

In May 2023, the main beneficiary implemented additional information days on the issue of light pollution. As part of the implementation of the Carpathian Star Way project, it was decided to inform the public about the project, light pollution and its effects on the environment in all districts of the Prešov self-governing region. We took advantage of the Night of Museums and Thanksgiving March activities in the districts: Bardejov, Stará Ľubovňa, Poprad, Kežmarok, Snina. For a total of 154 participants. A brief overview is in the following table and we also attach a photo gallery.

The Hungarian partner of the Carpathian Star Way project, nature conservation company Rónaőrző, organized a seminar entitled “The night sky as part of the natural and cultural heritage of the region” held on – 3 October 2022.

The seminar took place in Repašská Huta near Miskolc, in the Bükk National Park. The afternoon of the first day of the seminar was devoted to a workshop on the measurement and processing of light pollution data, which was led by Prof. Zoltán Kolláth, who works at the Karol Esztreházy Catholic University in Eger and has been involved in the analysis and interpretation of data in the field of light pollution for a long time.

The evening program of the first day was filled with a tour of the observatory belonging to the Bükk National Park, located above the village of Repašská Huta. The modernly furnished observatory is focused on popularization activities and has been visited by more than 40 thousand visitors since its opening in March 2022.

During the second day of the seminar, contributions were made about the current state of implementation of the CSW project, about the intended publication of a lighting manual for municipalities in the Slovak language and about NP Poloniny. It continued with a contribution about the starry sky as part of the cultural heritage, namely mentions of what was happening in the sky in the culture of the shepherds living in the area of the Hortobágy plain. The influence of the night sky on the quality of life of the Bükk region was the last topic of the seminar, which ended with a discussion and lunch.

on light pollution measurement and data analysis

10. – 11. 6. 2022

The Vihorlat Observatory in Humenné, as the leading partner of the Carpathian Starway project, organized an expert seminar kolofota, which took place as the first of the four planned seminars within this cross-border project of the ENI HUSKROUA programme.

In line with the focus of the project, the main theme was Light pollution, its measurement, processing and analysis of data. Due to the fact that the Ukrainian partners were not able to participate in the attendance, an online transmission was broadcasted on a platform provided by The University of P. J. Safarik in Košice.

On 20.6.2022 and 21.06.2022, the leading partner made a business trip to Ukraine to Uzhhorod to check the implementation of the project with the Ukrainian partner B1 Uzhhorod National University. The inspection day was attended by:

– by LB : RNDr.Igor Kudzej, CSc., coordinator of the LB project CSW

– from B1: Oleksandr Reity, Ivan Kalynych, Natalya Kablak – online

Following persons used the presence of the coordinator of the lead partner for consultations:

for B2: Vasyl Perig, Olena Karmishkina, Stehur Olha

for B4: Inna Kvakovska, Andrej Soyma

On 29.03.2022, the lead partner made a business trip to Hungary to check the implementation of the project with the Hungarian partner Rónaőrző Society for Nature Protection. The inspection day was attended by: RNDr. Igor Kudzej,CSc., coordinator of the LB, Mgr.Róbert Adam, project coordinator and by B3: István Gyarmathy, coordinator of the B3.

During the inspection was found:
• The implementation of partner B3’s activities continue in accordance with the project
timetable

• Purchased devices (both investment and non-investment) are in line with the project and are used to perform the tasks of the project.

• Visibility – the project is promoted on the Rónaőrző Society for Nature Protection website, all purchased items are properly marked with the logo of the program and project
• A clear accounting record of financial transactions related to the project is kept

A date of the Expert Seminar with partner LB (June 2022 at AO) was agreed and the workshop was discussed.
During Control Day, a visit was made to the new observatory in the Bükki Nemzeti Park – Bükki Csillagda, where they became acquainted with the process of measuring light pollution.

In Humenné 31.03.2022 Igor Kudzej

The Vihorlat Observatory, as the main beneficiary of the Carpathian Star Ways project, provided the media with a press release on the implementation of the project along with brief information on the topic of light pollution. The Press Agency of the Slovak Republic amended and published the report on 8 February 2022. The original version of the text is available here.

On September 30 – October 2, the initial conference of the “Carpathian Star Way” project (HUSKROUA / 1901 / 6.1 / 0044) took place within the framework of Hungary-Slovakia-Romania-Ukraine ENI Cross-Border Cooperation Program 2014-2020.

The conference was organized by Beneficiary 2 – NGO “Institute of Development of Carpathian Region”. The first part of the conference was held in the Hall of the Academic Council of Uzhhorod National University, Uzhhorod, Sq. Narodna, 3. The field part of the conference was organized in the mountain tourist shelter “Yavirnyk”, Velyky Berezny.

Conference Programme

The first working meeting of the project took place at the initiative of the lead beneficiary in the facility of the Vihorlat Observatory on Kolonické sedlo. It was attended by representatives of three beneficiaries: the Vihorlat Observatory, the Institute of Development of the Carpathian Region and Uzhhorod National University. Representatives of the remaining two recipients were present online on the zoom platform.
Main topics of the meeting:

1. Physical handover of the signed project contract and partnership contracts to the Ukrainian beneficiaries.
2. Plan of project activities for the next 3 months. The main activity will be the introductory conference of the project. The place of the proceedings was preliminarily determined. Javornik resort in Uzhansky National Park. Date: end of September 2021.
3. The funding system at Uzhhorod University was identified as a growing problem. According to the applicable legislation on the part of the Ukrainian beneficiary, the public procurement process can start only after the transfer of the corresponding amount of funds to the account of the organization. On the other hand, according to the rules of the program, the second transfer of funds to the beneficiaries’ account is conditional on the termination of the public procurement of the main infrastructure works. It was agreed that a solution would be sought in consultation with the Economics Department of Uzhhorod University. Deadline 14.7.2021.
4. At the beneficiary no. 4 (Uzhansky National Nature Park) there may be changes in the project team related to changes in labor relations in the organization.