- Participants visited the Madrevieja Environmental Station and learned how to protect and recover wetland areas
In this year’s training program, 310 sixth graders and 21 teachers from ten elementary schools in Campo de Gibraltar participated in an environmental workshop on the important role that these ecosystems play in the richness and recovery of biodiversity. They also got the chance to visit the Madrevieja Environmental Station and see first-hand how this space was recovered over ten years ago. In this way, the students participated in educational workshops and fun activities to help them learn about and understand the importance of this type of natural space and the Madrevieja Environmental Station; they were also invited to take part in a competition by submitting their drawings and photos of this area.
The Sagrado Corazón School in Puente Mayorga (San Roque) was the first to participate in these events, which this year took place under the slogan "Protect and restore wetlands for everyone's future" with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of valuing and caring for these natural spaces. This year's fundación Moeve Wetlands Days were drawn to close by the Casa de la Virgen de Palmones School (Los Barrios).
Estrella Blanco, head of fundación Moeve in Cadiz, stated that: “Thanks to this program the children have learned firsthand what a wetland is and why conserving them is important. And the Madrevieja Environmental Station is a space rich in biodiversity, refuge for birds, amphibians and mammals in the Campo de Gibraltar. We all have to work together to preserve and promote the natural spaces in our region.”
World Wetlands Day has been held on February 2 since 1977 in commemoration of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands in Ramsar (Iran). This was the first treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
Since 2014, over 4,600 students from schools in Campo de Gibraltar have been given the opportunity to participate in educational activities held at the Madrevieja Environmental Station.
Madrevieja Environmental Station
In 2009, Cepsa decided to recover and restore this space as part of its policy on biodiversity, sustainability, commitment and respect for the environment, so as to promote nature research and also serve as a space for environmental education which is open to the public. Over ten years after the project started, it continues to grow in importance. It is now led by Fundación Cepsa and is the first of its kind in the province of Cadiz. The richness and diversity of its habitats have made the Madrevieja Environmental Station a true sanctuary for around 130 cataloged species of birds and 21 mammals.
