The proposal has a strong social commitment, aimed at developing actions that increase environmental and social commitment within priority lines that promote the company's linkage with municipalities adjacent to the operation. The project is proposed in the quarry of Valdilecha and its surroundings (an agricultural vocation area with crops and scraps of holm oaks, Quercus Ilex), located in the southeast of the metropolitan area of Madrid. The main objectives are i) to identify the social perception of the inhabitants of the localities near the quarry about the extractive activity and ii) to promote actions for habitat improvement and biodiversity conservation in the territory. The proposal has a clear educational and environmental awareness intention, so the participation of the inhabitants of municipalities close to the quarry is proposed. Active learning of simple restoration and habitat improvement techniques is proposed as recognition of the goods and services provided by the territory (water regulation, erosion control, biodiversity and pollination, among others). The planned actions are the restoration of vegetation cover by planting aromatic plants and fruit trees, the placement of bird nest boxes as well as bat shelters and insect hotels, highlighting their importance as dispersing agents and pollinators. All the actions proposed will be carried out with the schoolchildren of the municipalities.

THANK YOU ALL!!!
Thanks for the enthusiasm for learning and enjoying during all these months. We finish the project with great sensations :)
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THE INTERVIEWS INVITE US TO RETHINK AND BROADEN THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE PROJECT...
BUT WE ARE RIGHT! The actions we proposed at the beginning of the project, and without even knowing the opinion of local people, have been chosen by more than 80% of the population as priority actions for socio-economic and environmental development of Valdilecha. A job well-thought out. Happy for that.
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INSIGHTS INTO THE SOCIAL PERCEPTION OF THE QUARRY
After analyzing the perception data matrix, we highlight the first relevant results on the opinion of the local population about the extractive activity of the quarry. Graphs illustrate people's concerns ¡
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TIME FOR SOCIOLOGICAL DATA PROCESSING
Preliminary scoping analyses with the data collected from almost a hundred people interviewed.
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MAKING INFOGRAPHICS (2): REASONS FOR PLANTING TREES
Learning more about the ecosystem services: why trees are so needed...and why we are so proud of our actions;)!¡
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LEARNING FROM THE WEATHER 2018 IN VALDILECHA (PART 3)
PART 3- WHY SUCH A RAINY SPRING? Following what scientists’ say, everything is linked with a sudden STRATOSPHERIC WARMING that happened at the end of the wintertime...that affects the POLAR VORTEX
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LEARNING FROM THE WEATHER 2018 IN VALDILECHA (PART 2)
PART 2- THE RAINIEST AND COLDEST SPRING OF THE CENTURY¡ This past spring has been the rainiest spring of the century. But the spring has also been cold, especially in inland Spain.
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LEARNING FROM THE WEATHER 2018 IN VALDILECHA (PART 1)
PART 1- ANALYSING WEATHER DATA AND DRAWING PRECIPITATION HISTOGRAMS. Do you know how to describe the recorded temperatures and rainfall in the Valdilechas area?
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THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS ARE HERE, BUT... NOT SURPRISINGLY… WE'RE STILL TAKING CARE OF OUR PLANTATIONS;)¡
Summer is already here. And the heat. Very hot in Valdilechas. We can't abandon our plantation so we go back to the quarry, to take care of our little almond trees. The water and some little ones are with us ;)
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ALL NEST BOXES SUCCESSFULLY INSTALLED¡
Wishing to attract the singing of birds to our lands ;) We've already got all the nest boxes in place!
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MAKING INFOGRAPHICS: WHY birds & bats MATTER
Drawing up ecosystem services: visual learning of the benefits of birds & bats
Leer másDO IT YOURSELF: NESTING BOXES ;)
Learn by doing: A DIY tutorial to learn how to make your own nesting boxes.
Leer másBIODIVERSITY SHELTERS WORKSHOP ;)
Birds, bats & insects workshop with kids...learning about ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
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HOW TO MAKE NEST BOXES AND INSECT HOTELS!
A workshop is planned to assemble nest boxes and bat shelters with the schoolchildren;)
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MONITORING THE SUCCEES OF THE REFORESTATION
A huge success ! A month after reforestation, 100% of the seedlings survive;)
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WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT & DID YOU KNOW THAT… ?
A glimpse into the public's opinion of the quarry's extractive activity
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SOCIAL PERCEPTION COMING SOON¡
DESIGNING street interviews and SOCIAL PERCEPTION surveys¡ Our pilot experience is proposed with a strong ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL COMMITMENT. It's time to identify the social perception of the inhabitants of the localities near the quarry about the extractive activity
Leer másFIELD EXPERIMENT¡ CONTROL SOIL EROSION
Analyzing water flow & water quality in a field experiment
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THE REFORESTATION WORKSHOP WITH THE CHILDREN ARRIVES!
Finally, the reforestation workshop with aromatic and fruit plants will be held on May 5th. The activity will be carried out with children from the municipalities near the quarry. Almonds (Prunus dulcis) and aromatic species will be planted Increasing in all cases the biodiversity values of the territory.
Leer másPROCESSING VEGETATION DATA
Floristic characterization of the study area, that includes the municipality of Valdilecha
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DESIGNING OUR PROJECT¡
This is a visual-thinking about our project, trying to explain how it was designed and what we expect from it.
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