Poster Rural 2009

VIII International Congress of Rural Development. Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya, Solsona. September 28 - October 2, 2009

Ajuntamiento de Sanaüja

Aurora M. Castilla1,2, Gloria Domínguez3, Mariano Sánchez4, Esther García4, María Bellet 4, Jaime Pérez del Val5, Rafael Martínez5 1 Estación Biológica y de Cultura Científica de Sanaüja; Ap. Correos nº 35; 25280 Solsona, Lleida, Spain. E-mail: [email protected]; 2 Estación Biológica de Doñana; Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC); C/ Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092 Sevilla, Spain. E-mail: [email protected]; 3Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya, Crta de Sant Llorenç Km. 2, 25280 Solsona, Spain. E-mail: [email protected]; 4 Real Jardín Botánico, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Plaza de Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid, Spain. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 5Área de Cultura Científica, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), C/ Serrano 117, 28006 Madrid, Spain. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

Set-up of an outdoor botanical exposition in a rural zone in Catalonia: Design of strategies to improve its long term conservation Creación de una Exposición Botánica al aire libre en una zona rural de Cataluña: Diseño de estrategias para mejorar su conservación a largo plazo Introduction & objectives The Spanish low of sustainable and rural development of 2007 was created to improve qualitatively and quantitatively the level of human development in rural areas. Some of the main objectives of this low are the conservation and recovery of natural and cultural resources, and the improvement of the quality of the environment to reduce or to avoid the deterioration of the natural heritage and biodiversity. The present study consisted in the set-up of a botanical exposition in a rural zone, and in the design of strategies to improve its long term conservation. The study area was settled in a rural village of Catalonia (Sanaüja, Lleida, Spain)

Methods

The children of the rural school learn to identify and draw the trees. Afterwards, they protect them and take care of the signals

We made individual signals with the name of each species, the family and their geographic origin that were placed near each tree. We also made laminas containing general information about the trees that were placed in the main streets of the village. The exposition started in October 2006. Since then we have registered the presence and the degree of damage of all signals and laminas until August 2009.

Students and volunteers from the village helped to place all signals in the exposition

Results Most people in the village (76%) were interested in the botanical exposition, although most of them (98%) believed that it could not last more than two weeks due to vandalism. After six months, only 16% of the signals and 71% of the laminas disappeared. Part of the material was lost or damaged because of environmental factors, accidents of different origin and due to vandal actions. In June 2008, 70% of the signals had disappeared and 77% were lost in June 2009. To date, most of the villagers are interested in maintaining the exposition and we will re-establish it again in November 2009. We will organise several groups of volunteers including the students of the rural school, their parents and retired persons to take care of the future exposition.

Signals accidentally damaged by cars

The kids found new “toys” in the streets and parks to play with them

Botanical signals in the main entrance road to the village

Bird excrements caused a lot of damage in the laminas

Conclusions We consider that the outdoor exposition has been a great success. Considering the lack of vigilance, it is remarkable that after three years, 23% of the signals did not disappear. Also, the villagers helped to maintain them and they want the renovation of the exposition. We have also been able to identify many of the causes that originated loses and damage of the material, and we have developed some strategies to improve the conservation of other long term expositions. We have also contributed to encourage the team work within the villagers, the communication between scientists and villagers, and the communication between scientists of different disciplines and centres.

Some visitors interested in the botanical exposition

Acknowledgements We would like to thank too many people and children in the village for their collaboration during the different phases of this work. To the city hall of Sanaüja, specially to Mª Rosa Castellá, Jordi Bibiá and Tony Mosella, to the teachers of the rural school, to the students of the Escuela de Capacitación Agraria de Solsona, to Alfonso Navas and Miguel Vela (National Museum of Natural Sciences- CSIC), to Jordi García-Pausas and Pere Casals (Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya), to Sotero-Sotobosc, Manel Torra, Esteve Caus & Mari Mar, Patxi Igual, Gemma Martínez and Joel Vilella. We specially thank the great contribution and friendship of Elena Cerrajero.