Last week, the Public Institution of the Šibenik-Knin County "Priroda" organized two educational events at the St. Ante Channel Visitor Center, aimed at raising awareness among children about the importance of nature conservation, with a special focus on marine and freshwater ecosystems.
As part of the Interreg IPA ADRION BLUEQ project, an educational coloring book with thinking games titled “Green Posidonia – Blue Harmony” was presented. It is designed for primary school children to help them understand the importance of preserving of the Posidonia seagrass meadows.
The BLUEQ project focuses on the conservation and improvement of protection for Posidonia, a key habitat for numerous marine organisms. For this reason, the coloring book—intended for children aged 7 to 12—plays an important role in raising awareness of its value. Through illustrations, educational content, and games, children learn about the role of Posidonia in preserving biodiversity, producing oxygen, and storing carbon, encouraging the development of a responsible attitude toward the sea and the environment from an early age.
The second event was the presentation of the educational picture book “The Journey of a Single Drop”, created in collaboration with the kindergarten "Smilje". In a creative and child-friendly way, the book illustrates the journey of water from the source of the Krka River to the sea, emphasizing the connection between river and marine ecosystems and the importance of maintaining natural balance.
A special value of these activities lies in the active participation of children, who—through illustrations, verses, and performances—became part of the learning and interpretation process, further strengthening their connection with the environment and their understanding of its complexity.
These events directly contribute to the goals of the Croatian Protected Areas Network by strengthening the educational and interpretative role of protected areas, with a focus on involving children and young people in nature conservation processes. The activities are also aligned with the objectives of the Natura 2000 ecological network, promoting the preservation of key habitats such as Posidonia meadows and fostering an integrated understanding of the connections between terrestrial, river, and marine ecosystems.
The St. Ante channel is part of the protected landscape Kanal–Luka in Šibenik and represents a meeting point of river and sea. The channel, once a canyon of the river Krka, contains its submerged mouth, which is included in the Natura 2000 ecological network as the Krka estuary. The St. Ante channel is also recognized as a valuable educational and interpretative site, where programs like these further develop awareness of sustainable natural resource management and the importance of preserving natural heritage.
Through such examples of good practice, the important role of public institutions in managing protected areas is reaffirmed, particularly as leaders in education, interpretation, and the involvement of local communities in nature protection.
