Thursday, 28 May 2026 UP FAMNIT Welcomed Students from II. Gymnasium Maribor

Today, we hosted19 students and two teachers from the II. Gymnasium Maribor at the Livade 1.0 facility. The students were first divided into two groups, within which two workshops took place.

The first workshop, entitled Flora of the Slovenian Littoral, was led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Živa Fišer from the Department of Biodiversity (UP FAMNIT). During the workshop, the lecturer presented several representatives of the flora of the Slovenian coast, with an emphasis on Mediterranean species such as laurel and olive trees, as well as their morphological adaptations to environmental conditions characterized by drought, high temperatures, and intense solar radiation. Along the Slovenian coast, we can also find halophytes, plants adapted to growing in environments with higher salt concentrations. These plants also exhibit numerous adaptations, some of which are similar to adaptations to water scarcity. The students learned why this is the case during the workshop.

The second workshop, entitled Presentation of the SRNA Application for Monitoring Wildlife Populations, was conducted byAssist. Luka Duniš. Students and teachers had the opportunity to participate in a treasure hunt called “Fantastic Animals and Where to Capture Them”, during which the students learned how to collect and use wildlife data. The scientific application SRNA, developed as part of the Step Change project and intended for collecting wildlife data, was also presented. During the workshop activities, the students became familiar with the principles of citizen science and learned how to record data on the presence of wildlife using the SRNA application, as well as how to use camera traps for monitoring wild animals.

At the end of the visit, the students and teachers went to Piran, where they enjoyed a guided tour of the Aquarium Piran.