The Minister of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, Elena Espinosa, today visited the Cabañeros National Park, in Ciudad Real, where she followed, through the webcam located in the Casa Palillos Interpretation Centre, the activity of a nest of the Iberian imperial eagle, an endangered species, and checked the advanced state of the works of the Park’s new Visitor Centre. The Minister was accompanied by the President of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, José María Barreda.

The installation of a camera for the constant observation of an Iberian imperial eagle nest is part of the awareness-raising activities of the “Taking flight” Conservation Program that the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs has been developing since 2006 together with SEO/BirdLife, and in which the Administrator of Railway Infrastructures (ADIF) and the Caja Madrid Foundation collaborate. The aim is to contribute to the conservation of this emblematic species, through the improvement of its habitat and the reduction of the dangers that threaten its existence (electrocution due to poorly designed lines, poisoning and lack of food), especially in Campo de Montiel, Ciudad Real. This area has become of great importance in the conservation of the Iberian imperial eagle, since, due to its value as a feeding area, it has contributed to the increase of breeding pairs. The images are received from the interpretation centre and via the internet, on the www.aguilaimperial.org website.

Thanks to this camera, the behavior of the imperial eagle in the wild can be observed from any computer with internet access. On this occasion, it has been possible to follow the activity of a calf born on April 12. It is expected that the initiative will arouse interest in the public and that it will have a positive impact on this protected natural area and the region in which it is located.

The “Taking flight” Program contemplates, precisely, the implementation of actions established in the National Strategy for the Conservation of the Iberian Imperial Eagle, among which the improvement of the habitat, the participation of the various social sectors involved, especially the owners of private estates, and awareness and dissemination actions stand out.

Thus, actions are being developed to promote the application of appropriate habitat management measures on private estates, acting jointly with the owners through stewardship agreements. To date, 16 stewardship agreements have been signed, with as many farms, representing some 11,000 hectares of territory. It is also intended to contribute to the training of personnel and the exchange of experiences between owners of private farms, through the study of agricultural management models for the improvement of habitat quality and through the promotion of profitable socio-economic activities compatible with the maintenance of biodiversity.

The day ended with a visit to the works under construction of the new Horcajo de los Montes Visitor Centre, in the Cabañeros National Park. It is an important building of 4,048 square meters, which has an investment of close to 10 million euros. It will serve around 350,000 visitors a year, which has a significant boosting effect on economic activity in the area. It is scheduled to be completed in early 2009.