Climate Curve

Primary Project Category:

Name of Project:

Year Project Originated:

Project Summary / Description:

"Igralište koje raste" is a project aimed at establishing a multifunctional educational space in nature located in the rural village of Kolarec, Gornja Rijeka. The initiative addresses the lack of quality educational and recreational infrastructure in rural areas by combining play, learning, environmental regeneration, and community participation. It transforms a standard playground concept into a regenerative park where children, parents, teachers, and locals co-create a space that fosters motor, sensory, and emotional development while enhancing ecological literacy. The space is divided into four functional zones:  
Playground (Zone 1): Focuses on motor skills and social play using certified equipment and alternative elements made from reused materials.  
Wilderness and Silence (Zone 2): A "Hidden World" for emotional regulation and mindfulness, featuring tunnels and animal habitats.  
Sensory Space (Zone 3): Dedicated to sensory integration with tactile paths, a fragrant garden, sound corners, and a "Green Living Room" gazebo.  
Regenerative Garden (Zone 4): Teaches responsibility and food cycles through old fruit tree varieties, berry bushes, vegetable beds, and composting areas.  
The project innovates by merging physical landscaping with digital learning; it includes a meteorological station and soil sensors linked to QR codes, allowing users to track real-time environmental data. Sustainability is ensured through the use of local materials, "3R" (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) principles, and the planting of pollinator-friendly flora. The project is designed as a replicable model for other rural schools and communities to combat depopulation and foster environmental stewardship.

How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

['Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption)']

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Our project explicitly empowers rural youth and families in Kolarec, a community facing depopulation and limited access to educational infrastructure. We address the marginalization of rural children in climate action by transforming them from passive beneficiaries into active co-creators. Through participatory design, children and parents directly shape the park’s features, ensuring their unique perspectives drive the project and fostering a deep sense of ownership over their environment.  
This initiative bridges the gap in climate literacy for rural populations, providing access to modern regenerative education often unavailable in under-resourced schools. We empower families to act as environmental stewards through intergenerational volunteering, where local wisdom meets new regenerative practices.  
Representation is embedded in our leadership and structure. The project is women-led, managed by a female pedagogue and association president. Furthermore, decision-making is inclusive: the local primary school is a formal partner, and parents and local craftsmen are integral to the execution team, ensuring the project is truly community-governed.