The first mutual learning workshop for the "Science Comes to Town" project, themed "Science Communication in Botanical Gardens and Plant Science," took place in Split from May 27 to 29. Participants included staff from CAU Kiel, Conservatoire botanique national de Brest, the Faculty of Science in Split, the Botanical Garden in Split (managed by the Public Institution for Marjan Forest Park Management), the Jadro Excursion Site-Park (City of Solin), the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation, the Biokovo Nature Park Public Institution, the Split School of Natural Sciences, Medical School Split, and the Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development "Sunce."
During the three-day workshop, twenty-five participants visited the laboratories of the Faculty of Science, the Botanical Garden, the Observatory and the Church of St. Jerome on Marjan Hill, as well as the black pine forest complex in the Muć area.
The first day of the event was dedicated to presentations on various topics. Following opening remarks by the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Prof. Ana Maravić, PhD, the Director of the Split Botanical Garden, Marijana Kapa, presented the garden in a talk titled "Split Botanical Garden: Current Management and Initial Steps Toward a Long-Term Development Vision." Dr. Severin Einspanier from Kiel University gave a presentation on communicating science to diverse audiences, titled "From the Wild to the Crop: What Can We Learn from Wild Crop Relatives?" Next came Stéphanie Hudin—an ecologist, plant diversity conservation expert, and Director of the Botanical Conservatory in Brest—with her presentation titled "Conservation on Display: The Paradox of Endangered Species Collections." Vice-Rector for Science and Quality Prof. Igor Jerković introduced us to the fascinating world of "The Scent of the Botanical Garden," while, to conclude the session, Ines Paviškov and Mirjana Gaćina Bilin—teachers at the Split School of Health—shared their experiences from the "Path of Health to Knowledge" project.
Following the presentations, participants visited a black pine forest complex in the Muć area. Guided by Dr. Ivan Limić from the Department of Forestry at the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation, they had the opportunity to walk through the area and appreciate its natural assets, which further enhanced their understanding of its ecological characteristics. The tour concluded at Klis, offering a magnificent view and a lecture on the area's endemic species.
On the second day of the conference, participants visited the Botanical Garden in Split. There, the Garden’s manager, Marijana Kapa (Univ. Spec., Prof.), and educator Alenka Šundov, alongside Branimir Čorić—an assistant at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Split—shared the diversity and richness of Marjan with the attendees through an excellent guided tour and engaging stories.
The final day of the conference was spent in working groups addressing various challenges within the realm of botanical gardens.
Through the exchange of experiences and social interaction, the workshop brought together science, nature, and cultural heritage—precisely the elements promoted by the Science Comes to Town project as it bridges the gap between science and the community.
Finally, we extend our gratitude to the Public Institution for the Management of Marjan Forest Park for this opportunity, and especially to Botanical Garden manager Marijana Kapa (Univ. Spec., Prof.) and educator Alenka Šundov, as well as Branimir Čorić (Assistant at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Split), for the excellent tour and fascinating stories that introduced us to the diversity and richness of Marjan.