Today we met a group of students from the Sada y sus Contornos Elementary School at the offices of the Notary Mr. Óscar López Doval in Betanzos. The reason was to notarise the acquisition of several plots located in the woodlands of Espenuca (Coirós). The children witnessed how the money they raised by doing a charity market on Book Day was immediately invested in the purchase of 26,630 m2 of woodland.
The acquired plots are spread throughout the woods, from the river’s edge (therefore within the protected natural space of SCI Betanzos-Mandeo) to the top of the hill. Except for 4.737 m2 of eucalyptus wood, it is all covered in deciduous forest. This acquisition will preserve the existing natural habitat and expand it with the removal of eucalyptus and subsequent reforestation with native species. The landscape will be enhanced too, as the eucalyptus, with their growth in height, break the harmony of the forest mass and hinder the view from the viewpoint at Espenuca.
Fragas do Mandeo thanks the schoolchildren for their determined initiative to preserve local natural areas with their Voz Natura project titled “Land Stewardship and Biodiversity”. Their efforts and fund raising led to 2.105 m2 of woodland being bought to be preserved in perpetuity. As the children grow, so will the trees, and in the future these children will be able to look at them and think how much they were able to do when they were small kids.
We also thank the individuals who completed the amount needed to buy this group of plots. Do join these kids and adults taking an active part in the conservation of our region’s nature with a donation to Fragas do Mandeo, no matter how small. You can find additional information in section Joins us! or else you can contact us directly (see section Contact).
