B.2. Exchange programme for protected area managers and rangers

B.2. Exchange programme for protected area managers and rangers

In 2017 and 2018 four exchange calls took place, aimed to protected areas managers and rangers. The main goal of these exchanges is to visit different demonstrative management actions:

1) Grazalema Natural Park and Alcornocales Natural Park, Cádiz (from 10th to 12th May, 2017)

On this occasion, a group of 11 forest and protected area managers s from various administrations (Galicia, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla y León, Comunidad Valenciana, Cabildo de Tenerife, Aragón and Junta de Andalucía) shared experiences with manageres and rangers of the natural parks of the Sierra de Grazalema and Alcornocales.During the three  the concept of maturity in forest ecosystems was discussed while visiting pinsapar, quejigar and cork oak enclaves in which the application of structural indicators for the description of mature stands was tested.

2) Monte de Valsaín and Guadarrama National Park, Segovia (from 20th to 23th June, 2017)

During four intense days a group of 10 technicians of the administration of diverse points of Spain (Delegation of Girona, Generalitat Valenciana, City council of Valencia, Meeting of Andalusia, Castilla La Mancha and Aragon) had the opportunity to know at first hand how forest management  could be made in a SPA and National Park. In addition, a visit was made to the mature stand of the Umbria de Siete Picos, a magnificent example of the evolution of the wild pine forests in the absence of logging, and in which the main characteristics of the species presented could be discussed on the ground.

3) Sierra de Santo Domingo and Sierra y Cañones de Guara (from 24th to 26th April 2018).

This edition has involved 17 park and forest managers from several autonomous communities (Andalusia, Aragon, Castilla y Leon, Castilla – La Mancha, Catalonia, Valencia, Galicia and Madrid). Within the framework of the activity, participants were able to learn first-hand about different experiences of forest management in the Sierra de Santo Domingo Protected Landscape, in the province of Zaragoza, and in the Natural Park of the Sierra and Canyons of Guara, in the province of Huesca.

4) Montseny Natural Park and protected areas of Girona (from 11th to 14th June 2018).

19 managers from Catalonia, Castilla – La Mancha, Castilla y León, Cantabria, Valencia, Galicia, Community of Madrid, Murcia and the Basque Country, visited different experiences in Montseny Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve and other natural areas of Girona, such as Alta Garrotxa, guided by the local managers.