JOANNA MIESZKOWICZ
FOUNDER, FOUNDATION PRESIDENT (2005-2020)
Social innovator, environmental educator, urban activist. In her activities she tries to combine culture with nature – she encourages event organizers to estimate and level their negative impact on the environment – she is the creator of the first CO2 2emission and compensation calculator in Poland, she created the Green Events standard in Poland, promotes cost-saving solutions, organizes events involving people of all ages in practical sustainable activities, including planting trees and gardens (she supported the planting of more than 1.5 million trees in Poland). She works with festivals across Poland and has extensive experience in international projects. She is a co-founder of the Aeris Futuro Foundation (she initiated its establishment in 2006), the Commission for Civil Dialogue on the Environment in Cracow, the Wawel Food Co-operative, the Cracow Social Power Plant (a cooperative investing in photovoltaics). She tries to be an eco-mom. In her free time, she is happiest traveling, dancing and enjoys teaching traditional dances from different cultures.
MAREK PIĄTKOWSKI
FOUNDATION PRESIDENT (2020-…)
He has worked at the Foundation for a long time as a project coordinator, and since 2020 as its president. He is in charge of the entire Time for Forest program, as well as environmental education for children and young people. He is a graduate of international cultural studies at Jagiellonian University and history at UP in Cracow. He also realizes himself professionally as a photographer, tour guide and sports instructor, although due to his foundation duties he has less and less time for this.
BARTŁOMIEJ OLESZKO
CONSULTANT FOR SOZOLOGY
Employee of the Museum of Urban Engineering in Krakow, responsible for natural issues in the context of greenery, preparation of exhibitions and ecological workshops. Affiliated with the Faculty of Biology at Jagiellonian University, as well as the Circle of Geographers of the same university. Over the years he has conducted nature research, including in the hard-to-reach Tatra caves. Focused more on the abiotic part of the environment, i.e. hydrological and geomorphological research, with a focus on aspects of anthropogenic environmental influences. Speleologist, scouting instructor.
MAŁGORZATA PICHURA
FORESTER AND BIOLOGIST
She has worked in the Education Team of the Magura National Park, including in the “Bring nature closer” project aimed at the local community. On a small farm in the Low Beskids, she takes care of goats, chickens, dogs and cats. She respects the animals’ right to live on their own terms and tries to be gentle with nature. She most enjoys invented stories and puppet theater.
SŁAWOMIR SPRINGER
BIOLOGIST AND FORESTER, LOVER OF OLD FORESTS AND SECONDARY SUCCESSION
Former employee of the Polish Society for the Protection of Birds and the Magura National Park, among other positions, as editor of “Magura”. He believes that 16°C at home is ok, and that meat (only homemade) is enough to eat once a week, so that forage crops can be turned into vegetable crops or given back to nature. He derives joy from watching the successive growth of trees he has planted or that no one (among humans) has planted. He mows hay for his horse and goats with a traditional scythe. His goats also like trees and shrubs.
ANNA TABAKO
CONSULTANT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS
An Americanist by education, cultural manager and event organizer, she is an environmentalist by passion. Her motto: “Let’s treat nature in partnership, non-patriarchally, as we want everyone to be treated fairly and equally in society. We will save the planet.”
TOMASZ TABAKO
CONSULTANT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS
Professor of communication studies, public relations and persuasion at Georgia State University in Atlanta. An expert in the language of leadership – leadership through word and image – especially in politics and business. He has been a consultant to such diverse groups as the marketing and political group The Chris Long Inc, the lobbying Polish-American Economic Forum, the non-governmental The Humanities Foundation and the Occupy Wall Street protesters. He worked with Boguslaw Winid and Jan Nowak-Jezioranski on PR issues concerning Poland’s admission to NATO. He cooperated, as a GSU lecturer, with CNN in Atlanta and Governor George Perdue, among others. He was editor-in-chief of 2B: A Journal of Ideas. Member of the American National Communication Association. Awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Rebirth of Poland by the President for his opposition activities in the People’s Republic of Poland and his activity in the field of promotion and cultural diplomacy of the Republic of Poland.
JAKUB ROBERT KLIMAS
SPECJALISTA DS. POZYSKIWANIA TERENU
Jakub, a geographer by training and a historian by avocation, is an expert in air transport, but he is not afraid to take the old, worn-out train. He loves trees, adores forests, but has a special affection for just one tree. The object of Jacob’s ardent affection is an oak – the Slavic King of the Forest. It is to the oak that Jakub would most gladly cuddle, and in this loving embrace he would find strength for action and relaxation for his mind. During his rather short tenure at the Foundation, Jakub has managed to inject a great deal of positive energy and a whole sea of enthusiasm into the team. His unconventional approach to life, including work, turns every seemingly uninteresting task into an exciting challenge, which he eagerly embraces. With his positive attitude and sense of humour, working with Jakub goes by quickly and pleasantly. In fact, he manages to make even the darkest and most gloomy characters of the Foundation laugh 😉 If you see Jakub huddled around the trunk of an oak tree, don’t be shy, join him to recharge your batteries and feel the positive vibrations together!
Foundation Board
PROF. ZBIGNIEW MICHAŁ KARACZUN
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE AERIS FUTURO FOUNDATION
Professor of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences and expert of the Climate Coalition, Polish sozologist, university teacher, opposition activist in the People’s Republic of Poland, environmental movement activist, researcher of ecological policy and environmental management.
DR HAB. INŻ. TOMASZ BERGIER
FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBER
Professor at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow. His areas of scientific and teaching interest are practical aspects of sustainable development, especially sustainable water management and ecological engineering, include hydrophytic treatment plants and their applicability to achieve sustainable water management. He conducted scientific research on the treatment of landfill leachate using artificial wetlands. Originator and executor of the “Wastewater Gardens for Carpathian Mountains” project aimed at promoting garden treatment plants in the Polish part of the Carpathian Mountains. Conducted a number of lectures and trainings on hydrobotanical treatment plants for local authorities and NGOs. Coordinator and long-time lecturer of the Baltic University Programme (Sustainable Water Management, Sustainable Baltic Region). Scientific editor of the book Challenges of Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Applications Magazine. Author of numerous publications on sustainable development and water and wastewater management.
Prof. dr hab. Piotr Skubała
FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBER
Profesor nauk biologicznych, Wydział Nauk Przyrodniczych, Uniwersytet Śląski, ekolog, akarolog (zajmuje się ekologią i systematyką roztoczy Oribatida). Etyk środowiskowy, edukator ekologiczny, działacz na rzecz ochrony przyrody; aktywista klimatyczny. Członek sieci eksperckiej Team Europe Direct (Komisja Europejska), „ethic expert” w Komisji Europejskiej w Brukseli, członek Zespołu Ekspertów ds. kwestii etycznych w Narodowym Centrum Nauki. Stały współpracownik miesięczników „AURA. Ochrona środowiska” i „Dzikie Życie”, organizator i współprowadzący spotkania Klubu Myśli Ekologicznej (od 2012). Autor licznych wykładów, warsztatów, kursów w kraju i zagranicą. Współpracuje z mediami lokalnymi, krajowymi i zagranicznymi w charakterze eksperta w zakresie ekologii i ochrony środowiska, kryzysu klimatycznego. Przedstawiając się podkreśla, że jest Ziemianinem, reprezentantem ssaków łożyskowych, jednym z milionów gatunków zamieszkujących wspaniałą Ziemię, szczyci się tytułem największego humanisty wśród przyrodoznawców, przyznanym przez Interdyscyplinarne Centrum Badań nad Edukacją Humanistyczną UŚ.
Volunteers
JACEK PIĄTKOWSKI
VOLUNTEER
He supports the Foundation during various events as a specialist in logistics and technical matters. His strength of calmness is imparted to everyone around him and outstandingly helps to survive stressful moments. Privately a lover of heavy running and heavy music. He does not despise heavy literature either.
Join the team
Act with the Foundation! Become a volunteer!
If you care about protecting the environment and implementing and promoting the principles of sustainable development, you have many ideas and would like to implement them – we invite you to cooperate with us!