- Throughout February, the Estación Ambiental Madrevieja nature reserve will play host to several environmental workshops to teach school children about the value of this natural space
- For the sixth year running, 600 sixth graders from schools in the Campo de Gibraltar district will take part in this activity
During February, Fundación Cepsa has been celebrating World Wetlands Day with an extensive program of school visits to the Estación Ambiental Madrevieja nature reserve, where workshops have been delivered to raise awareness of the environmental value of the wetlands and in which 617 students have taken part.
World Wetlands Day has been held on February 2 since 1977, in commemoration of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands signed in Ramsar (Iran): the first treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
First Cepsa and then Fundación Cepsa have been participating in this celebration for the last six years, running an environmental education program for children from schools in the Campo de Gibraltar district. Pupils visiting Estación Ambiental Madrevieja participate in fun, educational workshops to learn about the importance of this type of natural space first hand. The children are also invited to take part in a competition by submitting their drawings and photos of the nature reserve. This year, around 600 sixth graders from elementary schools across the district have discovered and learned about this natural space next to Cepsa’s facilities in San Roque.
The Sagrado Corazón School in Puente Mayorga (San Roque) kicked off this year's workshops, with the theme wetlands and biodiversity, to draw attention to the important role played by these ecosystems in maintaining biodiversity and that the wetlands have rich biodiverse reserves.
Since 2014, over three thousand children from schools across the district have been given the chance to participate in educational activities held at the Estación Ambiental Madrevieja nature reserve as part of these environmental workshops.
Estación Ambiental Madrevieja
In 2009, Cepsa decided to recover and restore this nature reserve as part of its policy on biodiversity, sustainability, and support and respect for the environment, with a view to promoting nature research. The site also serves as a space for environmental education and is open to the public. Cepsa led the project, which was the first of its kind in the province of Cádiz. Ten years after it was opened and now led by Fundación Cepsa, it continues to grow in importance. The richness and diversity of its habitats have made the Estación Ambiental Madrevieja nature reserve a true sanctuary for around 150 cataloged species of birds.