Increasing the Storage Capacity of Greenhouse Gases in the Peatlands of the Dinaric Karst in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro

Online Workshops with Teachers

Early in the project, a series of online workshops were conducted on Zoom, targeting teachers from four schools across Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Designed and facilitated by an educational expert, these sessions covered a wide range of topics, including environmental education, experiential learning, the ecological significance of peatlands, climate change impacts, and the vital role peatlands play in combating climate change. Teachers learned about interactive and playful learning approaches that would allow them to educate future generations on these crucial topics.

In-Nature Workshops with Students

From September 27–29, 2024, workshops titled “Peatlands – Forgotten Heroes of Nature” took place in Livno and Bosansko Grahovo, and from October 5–6, 2024, at Lake Skadar. These sessions saw participation from 54 students in grades 6 through 9 from “Ivan Goran Kovačić” and “Fra Lovro Karaula” elementary schools in Livno, as well as 50 students from grades 5 through 7 from “Sutjeska” and “Oktoih” schools in Podgorica. Accompanied by four teachers per location, these students engaged in outdoor, hands-on learning experiences focused on understanding peatlands’ ecological value.

This approach, known as “schools in nature,” allowed students to gain new knowledge in a playful, engaging environment. The workshops were designed to go beyond a single generation’s education; they introduced sustainable teaching tools, empowering teachers to incorporate “school in nature” concepts into their curricula, making lessons on peatlands, climate change, and interactive environmental science a core part of their educational programs.

Community Workshops and Stakeholder Engagement

To further the project’s impact, a series of workshops were held with local communities and stakeholders. In Livno, on October 7, 2024, local authorities, NGOs, and community members gathered to discuss the importance of peatlands in climate change mitigation. Topics included research findings on carbon stock at Livanjsko polje and the potential of carbon credits in voluntary markets. The session sparked productive discussions, highlighting both the degradation challenges and the necessity of declaring Livanjsko polje a protected area.

Similarly, on October 1, 2024, a workshop in Podgorica, organized by Eco-team, gathered local experts, NGOs, private sector representatives, and community members. This event highlighted peatlands’ essential ecosystem services, recent mapping projects, and potential business models for peatland conservation through carbon credit sales. Discussions centered around sustainable approaches that not only protect peatlands but also provide economic opportunities through CO2 sequestration.

Short documentary on peatlands

As part of project activities and with the purpose of spreading information and raising awareness of the importance of peatlands we produced a short documentary film that delves further into the topic. 

With knowledgeable speakers this short documentary raises awareness of the current state of Skadarsko lake and Livanjsko polje peatlands in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

A Call for Collaborative Action from the above mentioned is clear: only through joint efforts can peatlands be effectively preserved and utilized as a powerful tool in fighting climate change. By uniting educators, students, community members, and local stakeholders, the “Increasing the Storage Capacity of Greenhouse Gases in the Peatlands of the Dinaric Karst” project has planted seeds of environmental stewardship that will grow to benefit both people and planet.