The Habitats Association and the Foundation call on all people interested in being part of the Rivers Project along the Muga and the Fluvià. The training activity will take place in the lower section of the Muga, in the Pont Vell area of Castelló d’Empúries, next October 5.
The Rivers project, promoted by the Habitats Association, has more than twenty-five years of history, and focuses on the knowledge and monitoring of river ecosystems in Catalonia through environmental volunteering. However, the Upper Empordà’s rivers lack the consolidation of volunteer groups that monitor them. It is for this reason that the Alive Foundation wanted to promote the project in the Muga and Fluvià basins and promote the creation of volunteering in the area.
For this reason, on Saturday 5 October in the morning, experts from the Rivers Project will explain to people interested in participating in the project how to apply the scientific methodology. Among others, they will practice measuring the flow, the temperature, the presence of nitrates, the impacts suffered by the riparian forest or the fauna that lives in the river.
The activity is free and for all ages. From the Rivers Project they also encourage teachers interested in community service or service-learning as well as people who are already part of the volunteering and who want to expand their knowledge or resolve doubts.
The training will take place at the foot of Pont Vell, in Castelló d’Empúries, where participants will be able to park easily.
All those interested in helping to take measures for the ecological state of the Muga or the Fluvià can sign up for the activity through the website of the Habitats Association or the Alive Foundation.
The Rivers project
The Rivers project wants to make citizens aware of the values of these spaces and, through volunteering, periodically analyze dozens of river sections following a scientific methodology. In addition, active citizenship is promoted in the monitoring and care of these river spaces.
The set of data collected by the different groups of volunteers is centralized in the database and web viewer of the Habitats Association, is used for scientific research and is shared with the competent administrations. In addition, a RiusCat report is produced with the data and participation obtained in each campaign.
The task of the volunteers is to sponsor a stretch of river or stream close to the place of residence, carry out ecological monitoring and undertake small improvement actions if necessary. All together, with the support of the technical team that offers training, support, tools and resources to volunteers, as is the case with the first training offered on Saturday, October 5.
You can volunteer for the Rivers project individually or collectively: schools, institutes, leisure centers, cultural associations or other groups.
