The MARM Biodiversity Foundation has supported the activity and has participated in a round table on the lagoons of El Oso: problem or opportunity.

The director of Studies and Projects of the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, Ignacio Torres, attended on November 13 the round table “Lagoons of El Oso: problem or opportunity”, within the framework of the II Conference on Ornithology and the Environment that took place over the weekend in the town of El Oso, in Ávila (Castilla y León).

Prior to the round table, there was a talk-exhibition on the results of the technical studies carried out in the lagoons of El Oso, registered in the Catalogue of Wetlands of Special Interest of Castilla y León. The partial inventory of birds carried out to date in this area reveals the presence of more than 130 species, including aquatic, nesting, migratory and steppe.

The conference began on November 12 with various activities for students from schools in the area, as well as a colloquium on ornithological tourism and the opening of an exhibition on the biodiversity of Castilla y León. On Friday morning, they continued with scientific bird ringing practices, by experts, and a workshop on the installation of nest boxes.

The theme of the II Ornithology and Environment Conference revolved around the existing initiatives on ornithological tourism management and the results of the fieldwork that has been carried out since last year in the municipality of El Oso, where intense work has been done in favor of the conservation and improvement of the state of the natural resources of this locality. especially of existing priority habitats and species, such as the lagoons that host thousands of birds from northern Europe every year. In this way, work has been undertaken that favors and increases biodiversity in this municipality.

The Biodiversity Foundation has supported the municipality of El Oso in achieving these objectives, through the preparation of a comprehensive sustainable development plan, on which to base all environmental actions, among others, those of land stewardship. Within this framework, work has been done on the environmental restoration of the lagoon and the improvement of its public use, on environmental education actions, monitoring and inventorying, as well as on studying the inclusion of the municipality in the Natura 2000 Network.

After the round table “Lagoons of El Oso: problem or opportunity”, these conferences were concluded, which have had the collaboration of the Biodiversity Foundation, the Provincial Council of Ávila, the Junta de Castilla y León and the Global Nature Foundation.