The Balkans Water Project: bioindicators, education and tourism is the third phase of the EnvPro’s work on advanced approaches through the principles of management through cooperation and citizen science for the durable protection of the Zeta River Nature Park. With the intention, organization conducted the first testing of the educational program in nature, with elementary schools from the territory of this protected area. Students from sixth to eighth grade and teachers of local elementary schools “Milosav Koljenšić”, “Vuko Jovović”, “Njegoš” from Danilovgrad and Spuž and “Sutjeska”, “Štampar Makarije” and “Radojica Perović” from the territory of Podgorica had the opportunity to learn about the natural features and values of this area, high biological diversity that was the basis of the protection of this river and its basin, and especially the indicators of the state and health of this river via bioindicator species - the dragonfly, freshwater crustaceans and shellfish.

Through carefully designed approach for pupils, in the NP River Zeta, the “Dobropoljski izvori” locality, participants were practicing
field work research methods, measuring physical and chemical parameters of water, as well as methods of species and population identification,. Field work was carried out using adequate field equipment - water nets and devices for measuring water quality, which were on this occasion also donated to schools. This enabled involved schools’ to independently conduct outdoor research activities as part of the curriculum and moreover their active participation in the collection of important data that will feed the database of biomonitoring application. For this purpose, web and mobile application for the biomonitoring program was presented and tested, which was developed through a scientifically based program within the framework of this project. In a very simple and engaging way, all those interested will be able to collect data from the field and thus contribute to monitoring of the environmental health helth of the river and its surrounding. After practical work, children took on sharing impressions by making drawings, that will be used by EnvPro to create the visual identity ofthe programme.

In its final form, the application will be free and available on the organization’s website (envpro.me) as well as through the QR code that will be on the information boards that will be placed at several locations along the River Zeta. Precisely familiarizing the wider local community and all interested parties with rights and obligations, benefits and responsibilities, i.e. their possible contribution to the understanding and preservation of protected areas is the main goal of this process, and of a completely new concept for Montenegro, the concept of citizen science: Citizen science. You can watch part of the field activities through two videos that we made on this occasion: the first educational video ; the second educational video

The Environment Programme will continue cooperation with educational institutions to which until the end of the project it will offer an educational program for conducting classes in nature under the guidance of Nature Park River Zeta as well as all interested parties with the application of learned methods of field work and donated equipment. The project is implemented in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) , supported by Unated States Forest Service (USFS), and will last until the end of 2023.