Thursday, 16 May 2024 FIRST ALUMNI BIOCAMP GATHERED ALUMNI STUDENTS AND NATURE ENTHUSIASTS
During the weekend of May 17th to 19th, 2024, alumni students of the Biodiversity, Conservation Biology, and Nature Conservation program reunited once again at the ALUMNI BIOLOGICAL CAMP. Throughout the two-day program, they reminisced about their student years and engaged in various activities offered by the camp.
The camp took place in the area of Rakov Škocjan, not far from the intermittent Cerknica Lake, the largest in Europe, which, offers countless opportunities for observing various plant and animal species.
As part of the camp, participants had access to five different thematic groups led by experienced experts in their fields, based on individual interests and shared knowledge about birds, amphibians, reptiles, pollinators, and butterflies.
After the field day, the picnic took place in a relaxed atmosphere. The following day, participants embarked on a group hike to Slivnica organized by Luka Kejžar (ŠportUP), providing additional bonding in nature.
This kind of event is multipurpose, as acknowledged by the co-organizers, Martin Senič and Nina Lončarević from the Department of Biodiversity at UP FAMNIT: "Undoubtedly, such a camp offers an additional opportunity for intergenerational networking among graduates and lecturers, forging new acquaintances, reminiscing, and exchanging experiences among participants. It also opens up additional opportunities for potential future professional, scientific, or other collaborations among participants who might not otherwise have (re)connected. Such events are invaluable as they strengthen relationships among individuals with similar interests, both personally and professionally."
Aja Bončina, an alumni of Conservation Biology and Nature Conservation at UP FAMNIT, saw the event as an excellent opportunity for reunion in a relaxed environment: "The Alumni Biological Camp is an exceptional experience. Here, former biologists of different generations come together and enjoy a pleasant atmosphere. We visit various terrains located in beautiful locations. In addition, we organize various activities, cook delicious meals, and record all observed species that we monitor."
The first alumni camp was attended by 30 participants, and due to positive feedback, organizers plan to repeat such camps in the future: "We are satisfied with the camp's execution. The seeds are planted, and for the first such specific event, the participation is more than satisfactory. Considering the positive response of the participants after the event itself, it seems that we will repeat the event soon."
The camp was organized by the Department of Biodiversity with the support of the Alumni UP, aimed at graduates of the Biodiversity, Conservation Biology, and Nature Conservation programs.
