The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, through the Biodiversity Foundation, supports more than 30 volunteer activities for the conservation of beaches and rivers. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment supports more than thirty volunteer activities that until November 30 will be developed by land stewardship entities to promote the conservation of the coastline and river basins.

Within the framework of the Beaches, rivers, volunteering and land stewardship programme, promoted by the Ministry, through the Biodiversity Foundation, the involvement of citizens in the conservation of the coastline and the areas that make up the inter-community watersheds and the development of a stable network of volunteers for the maintenance and improvement of these spaces through different volunteer programmes are promoted.

Since the start of the programme in March, 26 land stewardship entities have carried out various activities on beaches and rivers in the autonomous communities of Andalusia, Aragon, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Catalonia, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, La Rioja, Madrid, the Basque Country, the Region of Murcia and the Valencian Community.

The more than 2,000 volunteers who have already participated in the conference have focused on the removal of waste and cleaning of the different areas, but other activities have also been carried out related to the restoration of river and coastal heritage, reforestation and elimination of invasive species, as well as raising awareness and information for citizens.

Next Actions

Over the next few months, new cleaning and waste collection actions will be carried out on beaches and rivers in Andalusia, Asturias, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Cantabria, Catalonia, Valencian Community, Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Galicia, La Rioja, Basque Country and the Region of Murcia.

The volunteers will participate in the work of characterising the waste found on the coast and river basins and in its removal to specific containers for recycling or reuse.

Likewise, training and awareness-raising activities will be given on the importance of proper waste management, raising awareness of the landscape and visual impact that its accumulation produces on terrestrial and marine ecosystems.   

At the end of the Beaches, Rivers, Volunteering and Land Stewardship Program on November 30, it is expected to have mobilized 5,700 volunteers. As a novelty in this edition, some land stewardship entities have promoted various activities to join forces with the European Commission’s Let’clean up Europe initiative that was held on May 10 with the aim of promoting citizen action in the prevention and generation of waste.

Go to the website for more information  www.chiringuitosyvoluntarios.es