The POznamo PETolo project (co-funded under the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia programme) addresses intertwined climate, environmental, and cultural challenges in the border area of the Strunjan salt pans. Rising sea levels and extreme weather events threaten not only fragile salt-pan structures and rare species habitats, but also the 700-year-old intangible heritage of salt-making, as the last generation of old salt workers passes away.
Based on the innovative PET-P concept (Future, Climate, Connection, Transmission, Adaptation), the project engages volunteers, students, and younger salt workers through hands-on field actions (learning by doing) guided by experienced mentors. Participants restore crystallization basins (kavedini) and prepare the grounds for cultivating petola – a biological mat of microorganisms that acts as a natural filter and stabilizes the ecosystem against climate shocks. Key activities include bilingual expert lectures, the documentation of authentic dialect terminology (Istro-Venetian), and the production of a cross-border educational documentary film. By uniting conservation, heritage, and the local community, the project transforms climate anxiety into constructive collective action and strengthens regional resilience.
Foto: Dr. Neli Glavaš, COMPOSITION AND TRANSFORMATIONS OF PETOLA AND SALINE MUD FROM SEČOVLJE SALINA, DOCTORAL DISSERTATION