Line of action:

Terrestrial ecosystems

Status:

Finalizado

Execution date:

2021

Total budget:

€33,045.91

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

€23,132.14

The latest reports from the Global Change Monitoring Network of the Autonomous National Parks Agency (2017) warn of the need to generate spaces for dialogue and/or collaboration that analyse and take into account the contribution of the economic activities that take place in the territory of the National Parks, as potential relevant factors in terms of adaptation to climate change. Therefore, the development of this project aims to train, raise awareness and involve the local population and socio-economic agents of the territory in improving the state of conservation of the aquatic diversity of species and habitats of the Picos de Europa National Park and its surroundings of the Natura 2000 Network, including the basins of the Deva-Cares and Sella rivers. territory distributed between the Autonomous Communities of Asturias, Cantabria and Castilla y León. This area of work has a high biodiversity and high ecological value, and in it a productive activity closely related to natural resources is developed, especially those offered by aquatic ecosystems, such as livestock, tourism or hydroelectric energy. According to Red Cambera, the development of these activities entails the existence of different types of human pressures on the aquatic environment, such as the regulation of flows, the presence of infrastructures (weirs or dams, canals or watering troughs), organic discharges, or the agglomeration of visitors in certain places. Proper management of these activities could minimise the effects they generate on the aquatic environment and have a positive impact on habitats and species of community interest. The CoCrea Picos initiative is a project promoted by Red Cambera and was born under the LIFE18 NAT/ES/000121: DivAqua Project, Improving Aquatic Diversity in the Picos de Europa.

The general objective of the project is focused on communicating, disseminating and increasing social participation on the state of conservation of the Picos de Europa National Park and its Natura 2000 Network environment, including the basins of the Deva-Cares and Sella rivers, a territory distributed among the Autonomous Communities of Asturias, Cantabria and Castilla y León. To this end, the initiative seeks:

• To increase awareness of the conservation values of mountain aquatic diversity.
• To raise awareness and train the socio-economic agents involved, enabling them to achieve the conservation of habitats and aquatic species and their involvement in management and decision-making.
• Promote land stewardship for the conservation of mountain aquatic biodiversity.

These are some of the actions developed by the project:

• Dissemination and communication of the project. Development of a communication strategy to publicize the problems associated with the conservation of aquatic habitats and species.
• Awareness and training program. Promotion of training workshops to expand the knowledge of the local population and the different socio-economic agents about mountain aquatic ecosystems.
• Citizen participation program.
  Organisation of conferences to involve the local population and key socio-economic agents, through proposals for collaboration and consultation in conservation and restoration actions.
• Generation of land stewardship agreements.

• Various activities and awareness-raising, training and participation days have been carried out throughout the territory of the national park to call for action and arouse interest in the situation of mountain aquatic ecosystems.
  More than 100 people from the area have participated.
• The project has disseminated scientific knowledge through dissemination.
  In this way, it manages to train, innovate and, above all, that the local population has the opportunity to value and conserve the environment with its actions.
  In short, participation has been the means, the link and the power to generate networks and relationships between people and groups that favor many other processes related to natural ecosystems and the well-being of the living beings that inhabit them.
• A dossier and a video summary of the project have been prepared for the public to disseminate the project and the actions carried out, as well as to show the results obtained.