ECEAT-Poland (European Centre for Ecological Agriculture and Tourism, Poland) is non-govermental organisation, which has started promotion of tourism to organic farms. The principal goal of ECEAT-Poland association is to introduce rural ecotourism to stimulate ecological agriculture. ECEAT-Poland was created in the Netherlands in 1993, but in December in 1993 has become independent organization. Among countries which co-operate with ECEAT-International there are: Hungry, Czech, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Latvia, Romania, Finland.

      In recent years a new kind of holiday, based on ecological tourism on organic farms, was pioneered in Poland. This new type of holiday or vacation is associated with the increasing awareness of the importance of the traditional rural environment as a vital natural and cultural resource and treasure that can be both protected and enjoyed, having positive impact on our physical and psychological health. Poland is ideal for such holidays, as it has a variety of regions with beautiful landscapes, rich, bio-diverse environments, and small-scale organic and traditional farms that are ideal vacation spots. One of the precursor of ecotourism is ECEAT-Poland, which members are mainly small family farmers.

      Why was ECEAT-Poland created? It should be mentioned here words of one of ECEAT net creator, Peter Bishop: ”You should much more appreciate what you have and sell your everydayness of your countryside...When I come back to Poland again I would not buy hot-dogs, hamburgers but something yours- home made wholemeal bread, cottage cheese etc. For us -people from Western Europe- staying in Poland it’s not only like coming back to out childhood, but it’s also the most modern style of life in harmony with nature, which is only for elite”.

      That’s why the idea of combining the tourism and organic farming cropped out. Since the beginning ECEAT-Poland is the international organisation, organic holidays is Poland have become popular with foreigners. For visitors from Western Europe: the Netherlands, England, Belgium it is like a return to their long lost childhood – picturesque landscapes, meadows and forests. 

      The pilot Eco-Agro-Tourism project (EAT) started in January 1993 and at that time a national coordination team was formed in Poland. The project joined 16 farms from southern Poland. From the first group, till now in the ECEAT-Poland are farms from Bukowka and Popowice. In 1994 the project was renamed into Ecological Tourism to Ecological Farms- TEGE. Today, in the TEGE project participate about  hundred farmers all over the country and there is growing interest among others. The first ECEAT-Poland seat was in Milkow- in Karkonosze Mountains, in 1998 was moved to Stryszow – in the neighbourhood of Cracow, and in 2003 has come back to south-west part of Poland to Bukowka.

      During ten years, ECEAT-Poland was leader and co-operate in many projects, among them are:

·        Common Campaign for Organic Agriculture,

·        Ecological Education on eco-farms – new forms of co-operation village- city,

·        Ecotourism on farms – the chance of development for communities, 

·        Development of ecological awareness – co-operation,

·        Promotion of ecotourism in Karkonosze/Krkonose Reserve - co-operation,

·        The strengthening of the social-economic position of woman farmers in Poland,

·        ECEAT accommodation and Nature Protection,

·        Eco-education – chance for local development.

ECEAT-Poland members, would like to thank different institution which have funded us in the past ten years, especially: European Union − Phare, Rockefeller Brothers Fund,

The Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe, McCaw Foundation,

The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Polish-American Freedom Foundation. 

During this 10 years ECEAT-POLAND was honoured with many awards. The most valuable is the prize "Tourism for Tomorrow 2001" sponsored by British Airways and the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the project "Ecotourism on organic farms - Holiday on an organic farm". The prize has been given since 1998 in six categories for environmentally responsible tourism and is the most renowned in this domain. ECEAT-POLAND was selected from among 150 organisations from 48 countries and won the prize in the category "The best organisation". The project was chosen as the  model one, that connect three key elements: ecology, tourism and agriculture. 

About the importance of eco-tourism to organic farms testify below sentences taken from guest’s books:  

„It’s a pretty place with beautiful surrounding...and it’s so silent! We experienced the real Polish hospitality”

„...We thought we had lived in a silent and clean place. But only here did we discover what real silence and unspoilt nature is”

„You need a lot of happiness, to find the second home for holidays! We were lucky with it!”

The organic farmers from ECEAT-Poland invite all of you to stay on their farms, far away from big cities’ bustle and noise, close to the silence of nature, where good food and family atmosphere ensure perfect holidays.

We are sure who will choose the ecofarm as the place of holiday, will come back home full of new experience.            

The present board and members of ECEAT-Poland would like to thank Jadwiga Łopata, the initiator of tourism to organic farms, for her almost ten years work as the president of ECEAT-Poland and all taken so far activities connected with the protection of cultural and natural values of the Poland Countryside.


ECEAT-Poland
Bukówka 71
58-420 Lubawka
tel/fax 075 74 11 395
info@poland.eceat.org
www.poland.eceat.org


Barbara Jochymek
Sebastian Wieczorek
Michał Jochymek