Two azalea greenhouses have been opened at schools in the Nowa Sarzyna municipality, where seedlings of the unique yellow rhododendron (Rhododendron luteum, also known as Pontic azalea) were planted. This initiative is the result of cooperation between local primary schools implementing Polenergia’s educational program Play Green with Us!®.
On Wednesday, May 21st, two azalea greenhouses were inaugurated—one at the Primary School named after the Primate of the Millennium in Wola Zarczycka and the other at the First High School in Nowa Sarzyna, within the operational area of Polenergia’s Nowa Sarzyna CHP Plant. The funding for these greenhouses was provided through Polenergia’s educational program Play Green with Us!®.
The purchase and setup of the greenhouses form part of the municipal Azalea Project, which aims to promote the “Kołacznia” floristic nature reserve and the entire Nowa Sarzyna municipality, while also raising awareness about the Pontic azalea and the necessity of protecting this rare plant. Funding was provided by Polenergia S.A.
The Azalea Project focuses on enhancing infrastructure around the Kołacznia reserve, constructing azalea greenhouses, and conducting educational activities—such as workshops for children and youth, a scientific conference, and ecological contests as part of the Play Green with Us!® program. Another important component is engaging students and residents in creating so-called “azalea gardens.”
As part of the support given to educational institutions involved in Play Green with Us!®, students from Nowa Sarzyna’s schools will be invited to participate in educational workshops on how to care for the Pontic azalea in school greenhouses, thereby increasing awareness of biodiversity. At the Wola Zarczycka Primary School, students will care for one-year-old azalea seedlings, while students from the First High School in Nowa Sarzyna will take care of two-year-old plants.
It is also worth noting that a month earlier, thanks to cooperation between the City and Municipality of Nowa Sarzyna and the University of Rzeszów, the first azalea greenhouse was opened at the university. There, university students will be responsible for nurturing three-year-old seedlings.
The yellow rhododendron (Pontic azalea, Rhododendron luteum) belongs to the heath family and is strictly protected under species conservation law. Its primary natural range includes the Caucasus Mountains and the Pontic Mountains in Anatolia. Pontic azalea shrubs can grow to a height of 1.5–2 meters. Their yellow flowers are notable for their strong, far-reaching fragrance. The only naturally occurring site of Rhododendron luteum in Western Europe was discovered in 1906 in Kołacznia, a hamlet of Wola Zarczycka in the Nowa Sarzyna municipality. To protect this unique habitat, the “Kołacznia” floristic reserve was established in 1957. It remains the smallest nature reserve in Poland, covering just 0.10 hectares.
Polenergia’s involvement in protecting and promoting the yellow rhododendron in Nowa Sarzyna began in 2023. In collaboration with UNEP/GRID Warsaw, Polenergia took action to reduce the impact of competing plant species on the Kołacznia reserve:
We thank the Nowa Sarzyna municipality, as well as the educators from local schools, for the opportunity to collaborate on such an inspiring and engaging project for children and youth — the Azalea Project.
Together we can achieve more!
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