Despite our main goal is the Perimeter Forest…
BERDESIA is muche more!
In this section you’ll find a description of our main workstreams. We encourage you to join us, in order to make steps for a greener future.
Civic initiative
Supporters
Besides individuals and families on an individual basis, we rely on Tafalla’s school community (tree nurseries have been created in all schools) and groups such as the San Sebastian Retirees Association, the Peñas associations, Alaitz Mountain Society, La Kolasa Youth Centre, gastronomic clubs, youth, and cultural associations, as well as some companies for their contributions and work. And of course, we count on all the people who already joined BERDESIA.
Voluntary environmental activities
Annual plantations
It is about continuing to create small forests to complete the BERDESIA Project as part of the green environment, a biodiversity corridor surrounding the urban area of Tafalla, connecting with the existing green infrastructures.
The plantations are carried out involving other associations and/or specific sectors of the city thus achieving a unique character, in addition to the commitment to care and maintain the environment. Each plantation requires teamwork coordinated by the members of BERDESIA. We make sure to guide and accompany you through the process as well as individual lunch to replenish energy! Besides, due to the Covid pandemic situation, we take into account sanitary measures, such as the safety distance or the use of masks, etc.
10 small forests have been planted since 2018 that add up to 12.5 hectares. During the first weeks of 2021, some of them are planned to be reviewed for the replacement of plants that have not grown up because of different reasons. One of Berdesia’s goals is to bring Monte Plano closer to Tafalla, making it grow on its north side; this begins to come true with the plantations at El Raso (Old Gravel mine known as Gravera) and Galloscantan (along the Canal of Navarra). The plantation at the Gravera area planned in early 2021 has its own name as it’s dedicated to four residents really committed to the environment.
Felipe Esquíroz Armendáriz
Historic protector of the Monte Plano who being councilor in 1963 led a movement against plowing 5.446 robadas (495 hectares) of holm oak forest and he achieved it after 45 hectares plowed.
Eugenio Vidaurre Ganuza
Founder and President of the Asociación Navarra de Amigos de la Naturaleza (ANAN), forest guard of the Merindad, driving force of the Council tree nursery in Tafalla as well as of plantations with social support.
Félix Sanchez Maya (Txirolas)
Environmental activist, gardener, tree planter and non-stop guard.
Antonio Olkoz Alegría (Toñín)
For this last 15years he acted as a true “guardian” of Monte Plano as he erected several spots and unique stone walls along paths and crossroads.
Moreover, during first quarter of 2021 is scheduled the following plantations:
Walnut small forest at Galloscantan area (alongside Canal of Navarra), with participation of BERDESIA members.
Elm small forest alongside Cidacos river, scheduled in spring-autumm 2021.
Among the following pending objectives to be agreed with the City Council are, among others…
The Life forest, formed with the trees planted by the relatives of beloved died ones will plant trees.
The Future forest, formed with the trees which families with new born child.
Maintenance and improvement of the Association’s tree nursery
We have in growth native plants (holm oak, oak, gall oak) and some other unique. In total around 14.000 at the end of 2020. Each season we carry out seed collection, sowing and subsequent planting in the countryside. We also buy or renew the necessary equipment: Drilling machine, trimmer, peat, gravel, hoes, tubes, ties…
On the other hand, we are continuously checking the irrigation and rainwater collector systems, cooling system as well as the conditioning and allocation of planting areas.
In addition, we are working on improving accessibility conditions for Environmental Education visits and Workshops we arrange for schoolchildren and other groups.
Institutional framework
Following institutional workstreams have been set up in order to get the project off the ground with the support of different stakeholders.
Egoki Project
It combines actions aligned with both regional and national Climate Change Program, harmonized with the Roadmap 2017-2030-2050. For its second edition, Egoki2, Tafalla City Council proposed to deploy the BERDESIA Project based on the goal of achieving as much social support as possible, and we are proactive on this. Egoki2 Project is executed under the Red NELS association (Sustainability Navarra Local Council Network), approved by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition, technical and institutional support from the Government of Navarra and Lursarea-Nasuvinsa. Both the Red Vasca de Municipios Sostenibles Udalsarea2030 (Udalsarea2030, The Basque Sustainable Local Council Network) and the Basque Government Public Company Ihobe also participate.
BERDESIA Strategy Working Group
Tafalla City Council (Ayuntamiento de Tafalla), Planning and Development Service Area for Strategic Projects (Servicio de Planificación y Desarrollo de Proyectos Estratégicos) as part of the Department for Territorial Policy of Navarra Government and BERDESIA Association form this Working Group, as a Berdesia’s initiative and officialy issued by means of City Council’s Major resolution. Its aim is to carry out and monitor the Strategy of the association.
21 Local Agenda
As per Berdesia request, Tafalla Council has prepared the “Estudio de la Vocación Ecológica, Titularidad y Funcionalidad Ambiental y Social de los terrenos del ámbito del Proyecto Berdesia para la Convocatoria Agenda 21 2020” report. It has been ordered to Mediodes Consultant (Consultora Mediodes) and issued on 2020 November 13th. Detailed development of milestones will be the next step that will cover the Cidacos river fluvial area since the last flooding that occurred on 2019 July 8th was devastating. The root cause analysis is still ongoing, managed by City Council, Department of Environment, and Ebro river Confederation.
Navarra’s countryside strategy and Explora Network
Navarra’s countryside strategy (Estrategia Navarra del Paisaje) is a workstream under Navarra Government’ scope, whereas Explora Network (Red Explora), Berdesia is a member of, in which several City councils, Associations, Tourism and Development consortiums, Local action groups, Department of Territorial Policy and Public Company Lursarea participate. Explora Network consists of the Navarra Protected Natural Areas Network (Red de Espacios Naturales Protegidos de Gobierno de Navarra) y Natura Network (Red Natura 2000), as well as Unique Landscapes (collection of Public Landscapes under Navarra Government scope).
Unique Forest
It comprises several concepts: ecology, pruning recovery, nearby spring channel for irrigation and water reservoirs (ponds) supply, paths, covered small area…
Besides a very significant area, 4 hectares, a set of 40 trees descendant from classified ones as Natural Heritage, given by Martí Boada and Sant Celoni City Council.
Upon the proposal was presented to Tafalla City Council, BERDESIA hired and funded the preparation of the Project, which was granted afterward by the Department of Rural and Environment Development of the Navarra Government. The Project was drawn up by Joaquín García Purroy, landscape Architect at Humus Sapiens company, local Architect Iñaki Urkía, Argi Intxausti as Surveyor and Civil Draughtsman as well as Jesús Ángel Eslava, a technical specialist from Vitaveris. The public presentation (presentación pública) was held in April 2019 and it counted on the presence of the Department of Rural and Environment Development advisor. The execution of the Project is pending on City Council agreement, its deployment by the Berdesia Strategy Working Group, and subsequent candidature drawn up for European Fund Programs.
Project Funding
One of the actions to be developed by the BERDESIA Strategy Working Group is to prepare candidacy for the next call for the European LIFE Programme (Programa Europeo LIFE) in 2024 within its Climate Action Sub-Programme.
In the meantime, we are preparing to be able to access the different European fund options that are being used and that best suit our projects, although we do not rule out the collaboration of companies and /or patronages of mutual interest.
Zona Media Biodiversity Centre
This proposal was presented in the BERDESIA Strategy Working Group. The next step is to agree on the working method to develop the idea and move forward with the project. It is expected to be done within the framework of the Convention for sustainable territorial development of Tafalla-Berdesia which is pending on being signed by the Tafalla Town Council and the Department for Territorial Policy of Navarra Government.