News - Europe and Eurasia
Croatian Students Use GLOBE Phenology Campaign to Advocate for More Trees
In the small town of Prelog, Croatia, students from Prelog High School, led by their teacher Maja Labaš Horvat, have taken action beyond the classroom—and straight to the town council. Through their involvement in the GLOBE Program’s Spring Tree Phenology Campaign, the students have not only studied the local carbon cycle but also sparked real change in their community.
It all began with a lesson on the Carbon Cycle, a GLOBE activity that helped students understand how carbon moves through the environment. Inspired by what they learned, the students began investigating the presence of carbon in their own town. They focused on tree and forest coverage, as well as the nearby river and lake, analyzing how much of their local area was covered by vegetation. Their findings revealed that there simply weren’t enough trees.
Armed with data and determination, the students created a presentation to share with the Prelog Town Council. They highlighted their work with the GLOBE Program, especially their year-round contributions to the Phenology Campaign, and emphasized the importance of trees in reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Their proposal? Plant more trees, especially near factories and urban areas, and build new parks to help improve air quality and living conditions.
The confident and well-prepared presentation of the students impressed council members, who praised their work and invited them to collaborate on future environmental projects, such as improving the water quality in the local river.
But the students didn’t stop there. They also suggested that their GLOBE group assist the town in organizing educational workshops for school and kindergarten children on the importance of tree planting and biodiversity conservation. For teacher Maja Labaš Horvat, the impact of this project on her students has been powerful and deeply personal. "They all live in this town and plan to stay here after university and raise families," she said. "They’ve seen that when you work hard for something, people notice—and they appreciate your effort."
Her advice for other educators is clear and compelling:
“Combine environmental education with active citizenship as
often as you can. There’s a special added value when students
realize that what they’re learning directly impacts their present
and future lives, as well as the life of their community.”