On July 28th, the “Learning in/from Nature” event took place in the Ortoll forest in Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona), a very special event where we met with the people responsible for the “Defend the Ortoll” platform, learned about the various spaces and activities they are carrying out in and around ‘Turó del Sèu’ little forest, and discussed new joint actions to carry on together in the future.
There are many reasons why it is necessary to protect natural spaces in and around cities: for the health and air we breathe, for the richness and diversity of species they live in, and also because they are privileged learning spaces, as we could experience during this event, where Enrique Castro showed us some of the actions carried out by the Plataforma’ s team, while reminded us of what still needs to be done to address erosion, the lack of knowledge about the uses and benefits of forests, and the real threat of urban planning.
This Platform, NGO Garraf Coopera, and the Fundació Catalunya Voluntària carried out this joint action to analyze how to combine efforts for the conservation and restoration of natural spaces and to consider activities that help draw attention to the need to protect the forest from various threats, both natural and human-made.
The action, prepared by a group of young people from Barcelona as part of the “Youth Green Compass” advocacy project, carried out with the support of the European Commission’s Erasmus+ program, provided a chance for all participants, spanning several generations, to enjoy and learn from nature.
At the event, in addition to a guided tour of the forest, we enjoyed a concert by singer Marcin Bury, who premiered a song dedicated to nature, and we were able to help with soil improvement efforts by moving earth from one site to another, under the careful supervision of the volunteers.
Although over the last 7 years the FCV has collaborated with the Ortoll volunteer group on several occasions on a sporadic basis, in actions led by leaders of non-profit organizations and young vocational training students from all over Europe, (recovering paths, planting and getting to know the spaces), partly as a result of this event, the FCV is committed to incorporating, as part of its political advocacy aims, the protection of natural and forest areas, which is increasingly urgent in a context marked by rising temperatures and the irrational use of natural resources, as well as their recognition as spaces for learning (formal, non-formal and informal), capable of inspiring knowledge, love for nature and skills that make a difference, such as the efficient and responsible use of natural resources.If you want more information about the FCV’s aims, plans and actions caring for the nature, you can send an email to projectes@catalunyavoluntaria.cat