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Welcome to the first edition of the We CAN Newsletter!
The Newsletter is the work of the students and teachers from six different European countries (Finland, Poland, Portugal, France, Spain and Croatia) united in the project that grew out of the identified need to grow and develop a sustainable environment. To support our vision, we first defined a set of core values upon which we wanted to build the identity of the Newsletter.
We hope that texts are helpful for all readers, that they will inspire, provide information and help with some new ideas.
Enjoy, and thank you for reading!
We CAN team
We hope that texts are helpful for all readers, that they will inspire, provide information and help with some new ideas.
Enjoy, and thank you for reading!
We CAN team
FROM CROATIA
ASPIRE TO INSPIRE
Throughout our Erasmus lessons, we have learned that individual participation in sustainable environmental development is crucial. To get inspired, we interviewed Mr Dan Spicer, the Scout Association of Croatia business manager and coordinator of activities in the project Boranka. Boranka is Croatia’s most significant volunteer afforestation action, and the Croatian Scouts Association has won the “European Citizen” award for 2020 for its campaign.
How did you come up with the idea for this company? What is the main goal?
BORANKA is a Scout-led volunteer campaign with the primary goal of re-planting trees destroyed by wildfires. The target areas were in the south of Croatia. Our activities started in 2018. The idea was to make an ash crayon, BORALICA, from burnt pines. The creative idea was to spread the story to a lot of people in that way.
The company Karbon, which makes drawing accessories made unique crayons in the world from the ashes. In the first year, 100,000 crayons were distributed. We also created a Web where anyone could get involved, draw a tree and name it. For each tree drawn, volunteers planted a tree in the field. Those ideas help us to attract more volunteers.
BORANKA is a Scout-led volunteer campaign with the primary goal of re-planting trees destroyed by wildfires. The target areas were in the south of Croatia. Our activities started in 2018. The idea was to make an ash crayon, BORALICA, from burnt pines. The creative idea was to spread the story to a lot of people in that way.
The company Karbon, which makes drawing accessories made unique crayons in the world from the ashes. In the first year, 100,000 crayons were distributed. We also created a Web where anyone could get involved, draw a tree and name it. For each tree drawn, volunteers planted a tree in the field. Those ideas help us to attract more volunteers.
How many volunteers did take part in this project?
We are very proud of the number of volunteers who participated in the project. About seven thousand volunteers helped afforest areas throughout Croatia.
We are very proud of the number of volunteers who participated in the project. About seven thousand volunteers helped afforest areas throughout Croatia.
How did you encourage people to take part in this action?
Boranka was slowly spreading, and more and more people who love nature wanted to help. As it spread, sponsors came slowly. Soon Boranka became the largest forest afforestation action in all of Europe. We had a carefully designed marketing campaign. One of the things that also encouraged people to join the project was the crayons made out of ash from the burned trees.
Boranka was slowly spreading, and more and more people who love nature wanted to help. As it spread, sponsors came slowly. Soon Boranka became the largest forest afforestation action in all of Europe. We had a carefully designed marketing campaign. One of the things that also encouraged people to join the project was the crayons made out of ash from the burned trees.
How many volunteers did take part in this project?
We are very proud of the number of volunteers who participated in the project. About seven thousand volunteers helped afforest areas throughout Croatia.
We are very proud of the number of volunteers who participated in the project. About seven thousand volunteers helped afforest areas throughout Croatia.
How did you encourage people to take part in this action?
Boranka was slowly spreading, and more and more people who love nature wanted to help. As it spread, sponsors came slowly. Soon Boranka became the largest forest afforestation action in all of Europe. We had a carefully designed marketing campaign. One of the things that also encouraged people to join the project was the crayons made out of ash from the burned trees.
Boranka was slowly spreading, and more and more people who love nature wanted to help. As it spread, sponsors came slowly. Soon Boranka became the largest forest afforestation action in all of Europe. We had a carefully designed marketing campaign. One of the things that also encouraged people to join the project was the crayons made out of ash from the burned trees.
How many of the burned areas did you afforest?
In three years, we afforested over 400,000 square meters, which is over 85,000 trees. It sounds a lot, but unfortunately, that is just 1% of the area destroyed by wildfires. At this rate, it will not be possible to return for another 100 years what the fire swallowed in 3 days.
In three years, we afforested over 400,000 square meters, which is over 85,000 trees. It sounds a lot, but unfortunately, that is just 1% of the area destroyed by wildfires. At this rate, it will not be possible to return for another 100 years what the fire swallowed in 3 days.
Activism is essential. Are you planning a direct collaboration with schools?
What are your plans for the future?
We already have teams that present workshops at schools. Every team consists of a scout, an HGSS member, a firefighter, a climate change expert and a forest ranger and also, students can participate in planting trees. Through these activities, students learn how to care for nature and how to engage personally.
This year we are starting with a new afforestation project that I mentioned. Activities will also take part not far from Zagreb. We plan to afforest that area and include students of all ages to learn from that.
What are your plans for the future?
We already have teams that present workshops at schools. Every team consists of a scout, an HGSS member, a firefighter, a climate change expert and a forest ranger and also, students can participate in planting trees. Through these activities, students learn how to care for nature and how to engage personally.
This year we are starting with a new afforestation project that I mentioned. Activities will also take part not far from Zagreb. We plan to afforest that area and include students of all ages to learn from that.
Which activities do you plan to expand to the north part of Croatia?
We start a new action called Šuma diše i CO2 briše (The forest breathes and CO2 clears), planting trees in the area of remediation and afforestation of forests that have been destroyed due to climate change and the problem with tropical parasites. The plan is to include both primary and secondary schools.
We start a new action called Šuma diše i CO2 briše (The forest breathes and CO2 clears), planting trees in the area of remediation and afforestation of forests that have been destroyed due to climate change and the problem with tropical parasites. The plan is to include both primary and secondary schools.
So, students of the Elementary School Pantovcak, are you ready?