Setting high standards has some drawbacks because you are obliged to beat them year after year. This is probably the feeling that we, the organizers of the DBF 2016, have at this time. In our first meeting to prepare this year' third edition -by the way, only two weeks right after DBF 2015- we had to plan for a set of special guests and an offer of activities that needed to be at least as attractive as those of previous years and we were in the need to consolidate and improve them as much as possible.
In the Baix Ebre región in south Catalonia, there is a small, traditional fishing village called L’Ametlla de Mar, which is known by its inhabitants as La Cala (the Cove).
The flamingos at the Ebro delta have bred again after a year without doing so (2015). Although it is rather late, the breeding colony of flamingos has settled in a dyke at Trinidad salt flats in Punta de la Banya. On 14 June the Natural Park technical team carried out a photographic flight at a height of 400m, and thanks to this 898 breeding pairs were counted.
The Guide for observing wildlife is a new leaflet which makes it easier to identify and increase knowledge of the wide range of wildlife at Els Ports Natural Park. The idea of editing this guide came from Park collaboration with a group of environmental education companies, guides and touristic initiatives. It is lightweight, practical and useful, with explanations and essential information on outings in the countryside to discover, observe and identify the wildlife living in Els Ports, always following a code of good practice.
Over the beginning of the summer months, Sebes lagoon has become a hive of activity. Young purple herons are leaving their nests to run around the lagoon trying to catch fish. But it’s the adults who have more luck, taking advantage of the shallow water at the lagoon, they reach areas which were too deep before and have a real feast on the fish they find there.
As well as doing different sports and enjoying the wonderful countryside in the mountain ranges of Llaberia and Colldejou, you can also do one of the most popular cultural and scientific activities of recent years: birdwatching.
With this exhibition, which will take place through 2016 and 2017, we give you the Terres de l’Ebre route along the great Iberian river Ebro, which is still home to fish populations and other fauna and flora species which are valuable on a worldwide scale.
We were taught to fear nature, to put up barriers, conquer and dominate it. We canalize rivers between great blocks of concrete, bury streams and cover them with tarmac, slopes, embankments and dykes which are strengthened each winter. We are worried that rivers will burst their banks and flood our houses. We are frightened that a storm will remind us that we are just one tiny spec in the ecosystem, but as such, we must suffer severe weather conditions, like gales, strong winds in the valley and rising water levels due to melting ice.
