Volunteering for the NACAR (Nature and Prison) program in the LIFE ARCOS project
We celebrated European Natura 2000 Network day on 17 May 2018, with a new volunteer event with the Nature and Prison program (NACAR) in coordination with the LIFE ARCOS Project from the Directorate-General of Natural Environment of the Regional Ministry of Rural Affairs, Fisheries and Food of the Government of Cantabria.
The activity started at the tertiary dune of Berria beach’s dune system.
Natural park director, Lourdes González, briefly introduced the LIFE ARCOS project, the NATURA 2000 NETWORK, the importance of dune ecosystems and how they protect themselves from winter storms, the distribution of dune species in areas and how they are affected by invasive exotic species. The LIFE ARCOS sign at Berria beached was used to answer attendees’ questions.
Beginning of the NACAR volunteer activity at Berria beach
The team got to work after listening to an explanation on how to recognize the cape weeds and how to extract it. The invasive exotic species was everywhere around the boardwalk parallel to the beach. Volunteers focused on this area.
They collected around 130 kg of cape weeds (Arctotheca calendula) and 1 kg of non-biodegradable garbage. The participants learned to distinguish the characteristics of the cape weeds among other well-preserved and blooming dune plant species such as the sea potato, sea beet, Virginia stock, sea daffodil, bindweed, houseleeks, petty spurge, etc.
During break and in the work area, we explained why the dunes were closed by the LIFE ARCOS project. José Luís Tejerina from Demarcation of Coasts in Cantabria visited the site and assessed the work being done.
Extraction of cape weeds from the Berria dunes
Finally, the Cantabrian Network for Rural Development collected all the plants and garbage.
The participants received a commemorative LIFE ARCOS t-shirt.
The Directorate-General of Natural Environment thanked NACAR for participating to conserve and restore the dunes of Cantabria’s beaches.
With the European Natura 2000 Day now approaching, we have included this news about the volunteering days undertaken in Cantabria in 2016, within the framework of the Life+ARCOS project.
Today is not just any ordinary day; we are celebrating the European Natura 2000 Day, and to do this we are holding some environmental awareness activities and carrying out work to control invasive exotic species on the Berria beach dunes (Santoña). One of the beaches included in the European dune conservation and restoration project Life+ARCOS.
On this occasion, pupils from Argoños (Pedro Santiuste Primary School) and Santoña (Macías Picavea Primary School), visited the Berria beach dune system in Santoña on 10th and 12th May 2016, walking along the stretch to discover the dune and its flora and fauna, led by instructors from the Cantabrian Rural Development Network (RCDR in Spanish) who work at the Santoña, Victoria and Joyel Marshes Natural Park Interpretation Centre. The pupils were fascinated and their constant questions helped the Cantabrian Rural Development Network instructors from Cantabria (NATUREA programme) to explain all the ins and outs of the unique flora and fauna species that inhabit the dunes.
Pupils from the Pedro Santiuste Primary School in Argoños, who participated in the activity day
The activities ended with the mini planting of grasses from the tertiary dunes Festuca vasconcensis – which was the activity that all the pupils had been excitedly waiting for.
The volunteering activities have not yet finished on the Berria dunes, and some other control activities of invasive species have been carried out with the NACAR Programme (Nature and Prison) and by the Cantabrian AMICA, SERCA and AMPROS groups.
19th May 2016 was a mostly cloudy day with the odd spot of rain, but even so activities commenced to remove invasive species from the tertiary dune on Berria beach, with a group of 6 inmates from the El Dueso Penitentiary Centre. The work setting – Berria beach nestled between two limestone massifs (El Brusco to the west and Mount Buciero to the east) – was spectacular. The dune systems here are rich in unique species of flora and fauna such as the Linaria supina subspecies. maritima.
Team from the NACAR Programme working to eliminate the IES “Capeweed”
This season an invasive exotic species – Capeweed (Artotheca calendula) – has been spotted flowering on the pathways that run alongside the Berria beach and at the main entrance to the dunes next to the apartment buildings. To avoid this concentration of invasive species, thirteen 120L-bags were filled, leaving the area free from the invasive plant.
Group photo with the team from the NACAR Programme
On 20th May 2016 work was carried out next to the El Brusco hill on the Berria beach. Staff from AMICA, SERCA and AMPROS joined forces to take action against the invasive species and to commemorate the European Natura 2000 Day.
AMICA, AMPROS and SERCA staff working to control “Capeweed”
The work was arduous, and the teams split the work into collecting and cleaning both rubbish and the capeweed, which was in full bloom. Some workers, such as those from AMICA and AMPROS, contributed their far-reaching experience in this kind of manual control of invasive species, whilst the SERCA team, in training for gardening tasks, thoroughly enjoyed the hugely constructive learning experience.
Another snapshot of the work to control “Capeweed”
A total of 75 kg of waste were collected, of which 58 kg comprised organic waste, 17 kg recyclable waste, and 103 kg capeweed.
Everyone worked extremely hard, managing to control the growth of capeweed throughout 2016 in the Berria beach dune system (Santoña). Over the coming years, maintenance work must be carried out to keep the reservoir of the seeds of this species under check.
Group photo with the members of AMICA, AMPROS and SERCA who participated in the activity day.
Information published by the press cabinet of the Government of Cantabria “Oria visits the Berria dune system to see the restoration activities being carried out”
Once again, the Directorate General of the Environment (Rural Affairs, Fisheries and Food Department of the Government of Cantabria) with the collaboration of inmates from the El Dueso Penitentiary Centre as part of the NACAR Programme (Nature and Prison), carried out a volunteering activity encompassed within the LIFE+ ARCOS programme on the Berria beach dune system (municipality of Santoña).
Volunteers from the NACAR Programme, in the background the El Dueso Penitentiary Centre
The activity carried out on 20th November 2015 led by an Expert from the Nature Conservation Service and a Forestry Expert from the same Service, focused on restoring the dune systems along the Cantabrian coast.
The day began with an introduction to the Natural Protected Space, in which participants were given an explanation of the dynamic of the dune systems, the importance of preserving native plant life in these ecosystems, and the significance of fighting against invasive species
An instant taken on the route followed for the waste clean-up.
Next, participants walked along the front of the existing dune system on Berria beach collecting rubbish, filling a 120-litre bin bag. During the walk along the dune front, numerous sea daffodil bulbs (Pancratium maritimum) were collected, which were found displaced, and inside the dune system seeds were collected from the same species, from carnations (Dianthus hyssopifolius), toadflax (Linaria supina subsp. maritima) and crosswort cuttings (Crucianella maritima) to be moved (bulbs, seeds and cuttings) to the nursery Gardening Workshop at the El Dueso Penitentiary Centre, where they will be nurtured in view of future activities within the NACAR Programme.
Photo of the team of participants in the activity day
The major part of the day’s activity focused on removing the invasive Adam’s needle plant (Yucca gloriosa) manually using spades and trowels, resulting in the removal of six 120-litre bags full. In 2010, the Berria beach dune system had numerous adult flowering Yucca specimens that were removed, and with this activity they are being controlled and practically eliminated from the dunes. This activity took place in an area inside the dune system in the middle zone, spanning from the Juan de la Cosa Hotel to the El Brusco hill.
Some of the volunteers had previously carried out dune restoration work on the Berria beach with the Directorate General of the Environment, and they remembered some of the native dune species, the invasive species and the restoration tasks they had carried out on previous occasions. Specifically, the areas replanted with sea daffodil bulbs collected in March 2015 and transplanted back into the dune system were particularly visible.
At the end of the day and as a keepsake, the inmates along with the instructors from the El Dueso Penitentiary Centre, a trainee and the Expert from the Nature Conservation Service from the Government of Cantabria, posed for a photo to leave a record of the hard work that they had all done to conserve the dune systems.
Photo of the team of participants in the activity day
Participants of the NACAR programme pose on Berria beach, an area included in the Natura 2000 Network.
Once again, the Directorate-General of Natural Environment (Regional Ministry of Rural Affairs, Fisheries and Food of the Government of Cantabria) with collaboration from inmates from the El Dueso Penitentiary of the NACAR (Nature and Prison) programme, carried out a volunteer activity within the LIFE+ Arcos project at the Berria Beach dune system (Municipality of Santoña).
The activity was carried out by one Technician and two Forest Technicians from the Nature Conservation Service on 11 September 2015. They focused on restoring dune systems on the Cantabrian coast.
Participants attended a briefing about the protected area where the activity was going to take place.
The day started with an introduction to the Natural Protected Area, and to the dynamic and biological communities of dune system ecosystems on the Cantabrian coast. We used an educational sign located at the entrance of the beach, next to the car park.
After that explanation, we moved towards the frontal dune on Berria beach to collect specimens of plants uprooted by the tide. Sea daffodil (Pancratium maritimum) bulbs were found and transplanted to areas devoid of vegetation later that day.
On the way back we walked inside the dune system and collected a small amount of fringed pink (Dianthus hyssopifolius) and Virginia stock (Matthiola sinuata) to plant in the El Dueso Penitentiary Gardening Workshop nursery centre. The plants will be used in future activities within the NACAR project. The seeds and some cuts of crossworts (Cruccianella maritima) were given to the El Dueso Penitentiary Gardening Workshop instructor so they can practice with these species.
During the entire walk, we extracted and collected 60 litres of different types of waste.
Photo of volunteers extracting common ragweed within the marked area.
The last activity was to manually and carefully extract specimens of the entire existing population of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) in the tertiary dune area of Berria beach to prevent its creeping rhizome from re-growth. We also extracted around 15 very young specimens of another invasive species, the Adam’s needle (Yucca gloriosa)—its roots were extracted with hand shovels. A few specimens of horseweed (Coniza canadensis) were also extracted. A total of approximately 40 litres of invasive plants were extracted.
We eradicated invasive plants in two areas. The first was around 738 m2, where the vast majority of the common ragweed population is located and where all the Adam’s needles extracted in the tertiary dune area are located. The second area, located in a secondary dune, was around 64 m2. Only common ragweed was extracted from the second area.
The areas where we eradicated invasive plants were marked off with tape and wood posts to clear the area better and to eliminate 100% of the existing individuals. Since we also extracted common ragweed in this area during an activity on 12 June, this time we found just a few, small plants. This means the area is currently quite under control.
We met the goals of this dune system habitat restoration and environmental awareness day. Inmates expressed interest in participating in future volunteer days.
When the day ended, the inmates and educators from El Dueso Penitentiary, two interns and the Technician from the Nature Conservation Service of the Government of Cantabria posed for a photo to commemorate the magnificent day they spent conserving dune systems.
On 14 August, Jesús Varás (director of the Liencres Dunes Natural Park) and Lourdes González (Director of the Santoña, Victoria and Joyel Marshes Natural Park) met with the Technicians from the Nature Conservation Service to present and explain the LIFE+ARCOS project to colleagues working in other areas of the Directorate-General of Natural Environment of the Regional Ministry of Rural Affairs, Fisheries and Food.
During the meeting, attendees received thematic portfolios on the LIFE+ARCOS subject “Conserving Cantabrian Dunes.» Then, we presented on the scope of action and the list of activities to develop, focusing on specific activities on Cantabrian beaches that form part of this project (Valdearenas, Loredo, Helgueras and Berria).
During the meeting, attendees asked interesting questions about species and activities in the Liencres pine forest.
Meeting in the Cantabria Science and Technology Park (PCTCAN), where the Technicians (from the Nature Conservation Service) meeting took place.
We also explained the value the NACAR (Nature and Prison) environmental volunteer programme (since 2004) has added to the LIFE+ARCOS project.
When the meeting ended, we agreed to keep them informed about the LIFE+ARCOS project as activities in the Cantabrian dune systems are carried out. We also talked about the possibility of creating a volunteer group for the Directorate-General of Natural Environment to carry out activities for the project. All attendees liked the idea and we plan to host a volunteer day in September or October 2015.
Council of Santoña, Manzanedo Palace, where the meeting between the Life+ARCOS project representative and representatives from the Council of Santoña was held
On 23 July, the director of the Santoña, Victoria and Joyel Marshes Natural Park of the Directorate-General of Forestry and Nature Conservation of the Regional Ministry of Rural Affairs, Fisheries and Food of the Government of Cantabria (collaborating member of the LIFE+ARCOS project), Ms Lourdes González Azpiri, met with the Mayor of Santoña, Mr Sergio Abascal Azofra, and the Councillor of the Environment, Mr Fernando Palacio Ansola. They talked about items of interest within the Natural Protected Area and about the LIFE+ARCOS dune restoration project for Berria Beach (Santoña).
Attendees received a thematic portfolio on the LIFE+ARCOS subject “Conserving Cantabrian Dunes” and learned about the scope of action and activities to be carried out on Berria Beach through 2018. They were informed about the importance of the activities planned within the project (closing the dunes, installing sand collectors, eradicating invasive species and planting dune vegetation as main activities) to maintain the structure and dynamic of the dune system. We also insisted on the need for mechanical cleaning of the front side of the beach (responsibility of the Council of Santoña) that is far enough away from the dune to conserve its habitats. In reference to the volunteer activities, we explained the relationship the NACAR (Nature and Prison) environmental volunteer programme (since 2004) with the LIFE+ARCOS project with the activities scheduled for next autumn.
Ms Lourdes González, the mayor of Santoña, Mr Sergio Abascal and the Councillor of Environment, Mr Fernando Palacio during the meeting.
The Mayor and Councillor of Environment were interested in knowing more about the project’s activities and suggested carrying out a technical visit to Berria beach on 3 August to interact with the current state of Berria beach’s dune system and to evaluate existing public use infrastructure.
Dune restoration by removing waste, invasive plants and by planting sea daffodils on the Berria beach (SCI Santoña, Victoria and Joyel Marshes)
Image of the group of participants on the volunteering day
After being forced to rain off the activity set for 15th May, this time inmates and technicians from the El Dueso Penitentiary Centre participated in the start of the volunteering activities within the Life+ARCOS programme, also giving continuity to the NACAR Programme (Nature and Prison) that has involved environmental volunteering work since 2009 on the Berria beach dune system.
Area of action
The Nature Conservation Expert from the Directorate General of Forestry and Conservation from the Government of Cantabria and two trainees (Technical Forestry Engineers) explained the Life+ARCOS programme, whose main aim is to restore dune systems on different points along the Cantabrian coast. They gave them notions about the Protected Natural Space, the problematic issue of invasive species, planting bulbs, giving their full support at all times for hands-on implementation.
The first action that was carried out was collecting waste and removing specimens from the entire ragweed population (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) along the tertiary dune area on the Berria beach, using careful manual removal techniques to avoid new shoots from forming in the future from the stoloniferous rhizomes. Some 30 young specimens of another invasive species were found in the same area: Adam’s needle (Yucca gloriosa), which were also removed, excavating the sand so as to remove its roots.
Yucca gloriosa
Next, almost 100 sea daffodils were replanted (Pancratium maritimum) in the areas cleared of the ragweed. The sea daffodil bulbs used had been kept since March in the nursery of the El Dueso Penitentiary Centre Gardening Workshop, as part of another activity carried out by inmates involving collecting the bulbs from the same dune system where they had been displaced by winter storms.
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
The second activity was carried out on the middle zone of the dune system, in front of the Juan de la Cosa Hotel, also on the Berria beach tertiary dune. First the small stones and rubble piled on the sand were sieved out, so as to remove the largest materials. Next, the sea daffodil bulbs were replanted.
Plantación de bulbos de azucena marina
The objectives of this day to improve the dune system habitats and to raise environmental awareness have been successfully achieved. The area worked on directly, in total comprised some 1,500 m2 of tertiary dune.
At the end of the day, the inmates received a Life+ARCOS project t-shirt and they were enthusiastic about having the opportunity to have collaborated in this environmental activity.
As well as various workshops, the El Dueso Penitentiary Centre also has a Radio channel that broadcasts the most important events in which the inmates participate. After the day of volunteering, one of the participants broadcast on the El Dueso Radio Programme in the local area of Santoña, about the activities carried out, including details about the plant species that they had been working on.
Volunteers during the Berria tertiary dune restoration works
We hope to carry out a new activity from the LIFE+ARCOS soon, in collaboration with the NACAR Programme (Nature and Prison)!
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