In September, Patagonia took a group of “Change Makers” to the Balkan to explore the stunning rivers, learn about the threats they are facing and what we do to save them. Today, we present to you the first outcome of this trip: a short video about the rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, produced by Grégory Mignard from the “Captain Yvon Association”. Enjoy!

The brave citizens of Kruščica in Bosnia and Herzegovina are determined to defend their river against HPP developments, literally, as they tried to prevent developers moving their equipment to the projected site. On August 24, riot police violently removed peaceful anti-hydropower protesters who were standing up for their right to drinking water and healthy environment, causing serious injury to several people.

The Vjosa is by far not the only river in Albania threatened by hydropower. At the Qarishte river in central Albania, residents are faced with the dire consequences of the Rapuni dam. Read this webstory by CEE Bankwatch Network.

Read below Bankwatch's blog post about local opposition against a dam on the Vrbas in Bosnia-Herzegovina that, if build, would further devastate already endangered fish habitat. This river stretch is also a critical habitat for the endangered and protected Huchen, a fish species particularly vulnerable to dam construction.

Taking matters into hand: this 14-meter girl is smashing the already broken and obsolete dam on the Bašćica River in Bosina and Herzegovina with a hammer. For days this picture has been circulating in social media, leaving people to wonder who was behind this ingenious protest action. On Tuesday, the Coalition for the Protection of Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina has lifted the mystery.

++ 20,000 people at this year's event on Drina River in Serbia ++ NGO's protested against damming the globally most important Huchen (Danube Salmon) River ++ At this year’s event, NGOs in cooperation with angling (fishing) associations protested against hydropower plans for the first time in the 24-year history of the regatta.