First cross-border workshop of the ITINERANT project opens the action-planning process for Stol and Planja
On 14 May 2026, the first cross-border participatory workshop within the ITINERANT project took place in Kobarid, dedicated to the preparation of a cross-border action plan for the revitalisation of the Stol and Planja area. The workshop was organised by Posoški razvojni center, in cooperation with the Municipality of Kobarid, as part of the project activities which foresee cross-border seminars with stakeholders and the preparation of an action plan based on situation analysis and the review of existing research.
The Stol and Planja area is understood as a space of exceptional natural value, a grassland-pastoral cultural landscape and a place where nature conservation, historical land use, local identity and future development are closely connected. In the draft framework of the action plan, particular emphasis is placed on preserving the openness of the landscape, preventing overgrowth, protecting habitats and species, strengthening local stewardship and identifying balanced development pathways for the area.
The workshop represented the first joint step in a broader participatory process. Its purpose was not yet to define final measures, but to open a space for a shared understanding of the area, its main challenges, development potentials and the perspectives of different stakeholders. In line with the methodological framework for the action plan, the process combines situation analysis, review of existing research, stakeholder involvement, questionnaires, interviews and gradual synthesis and validation of findings. The meeting took place in a highly collaborative, open and constructive spirit. Participants from the fields of agriculture, tourism, nature conservation, local development and spatial management showed strong motivation to contribute, exchange views and support further work on the action plan. The workshop therefore provided an important starting point for the next steps of the process.
In the coming phase, the results of the workshop will be reviewed and synthesised and will feed into additional data collection, questionnaires, targeted stakeholder consultations and the preparation of the second cross-border workshop planned for September 2026. If the first workshop was primarily dedicated to listening, identifying challenges and opening key questions, the next phase will gradually translate these shared starting points into solutions and more concrete proposals for measures.
The ITINERANT project aims to promote sustainable economic development, inclusion and social innovation in the Julian Alps MAB Biosphere Area by developing a sustainable and integrated tourism strategy, improving residents’ well-being, supporting environmental conservation and enhancing the quality of the visitor experience.
Photo © 2026 Jerica Kobal
