Lake Narach

The Naratsch (White Russian Нарач, Russian Нарочь / Naroch ) is the largest lake in Belarus and an identically- place on whose banks in the north of the country in the Minsk Woblasz.

Location

The lake is surrounded by forest and moor landscape rich and is the main objective of the domestic tourism in Belarus. In its vicinity are guest houses, restaurants, and hotels Datschenkolonien. The lake is drained by the river Naratsch that belongs to the catchment area of ​​the Memel. In 1916 it hosted the battle take place on Naratsch Lake.

Resettlement projects

On the south shore of the lake, the community Sanaratsch to which, among other things, the village is a part Stachowzy. At the height between Stachowzy and Sanaratsch the settlement Druschnaja has emerged since the mid-90s. Evacuees from the radioactively contaminated south of Belarus have here, supported by Belarusian students and workcamp participants from Germany built houses in clay and straw or wood chips clay design. This project was initiated by Irmgard and Dietrich von Bodelschwinghstraße as well as by the non-profit organization founded by them Home instead of Chernobyl eV donations and public grants from Germany the construction of two wind turbines near the village was financed: the only previous in Belarus. In addition, an Orthodox church and a medical center were built in Sanaratsch. Began in 2005 with the construction of an outpatient clinic, which will be the first low-energy house in Belarus.

Ecological Economics

Wind power

In the years 2000 to 2002 Home place has Chernobyl above the Naratsch Lake near the settlement Drushnaja built two wind turbines with 250 and 600 kW rated power, as well as a photovoltaic system on the roof of the workshop in Drushnaja. The two wind turbines produce an annual average of nearly 1.3 million kilowatt- hours, corresponding to a current consumption of 600 to 700 Belarusian households. The generated electricity is fed into the public grid for sale. With the proceeds earmarked the Belarusian partner organization ÖkoDom financed ( "International Nonprofit - social club ÖkoDom " ) further projects for radiation- damaged families.

Reed

Since 2003, the reeds of Naratsch Lake and other lakes in the county Mjadel in the winter when the ice is strong enough and stable, harvested. The reed harvesting was done by hand until 2004. Since the winter of 2005, a reed harvesting machine is used. The harvested reed is processed to a maximum of 5 cm thick reed mats. For this purpose, a reed plates - tying machine from the company Sterflinger is now being used for several years. After the company abandoned its reed plate production from southern Germany, she has home instead of Chernobyl (or ÖkoDom ) gave a well-preserved reed plates - tying machine. The machine was rebuilt after being transported to Belarus there.

This uses the reed mats as insulation for walls and roofs in the construction of houses for settlers in Stary Lepel ( on Lepeler lake ) and in the construction of the outpatient clinic in Sanaratsch; but they are also exported. The use of the cane as an ecological, energy-saving building material not only provides jobs for its harvesting and processing, but at the same time prevent a deterioration of the water quality of the lakes before.