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Beneficiaries

Coordinating Beneficiary

TRAGSATEC. Technology and Agrarian Services, S.A.

Established in 1989 as a subsidiary of Tragsa, it is a pioneer company in state-of-the-art technology, specialized in providing engineering, consulting and technical assistance in the areas of agriculture, forestry, the environment, rural development or marine environment, both in carrying out studies and projects as well as providing technical services.

Thanks to its firm commitment to R&D&I, Tragsatec has a very strong IT support and the most innovative technology, such as Geographic Information Systems and developments in Web environments, capable of providing support to the Public Administration for tasks involving the production, maintenance and operation of agricultural and environmental databases at the national level.

Associated Beneficiary

European Mink Association

Established in 2003 as an Association, the European Mink Association carries out monitoring and the study of European mink and control activities of American mink, always providing support services to the different administrations involved in the conservation of the European mink and in control of the American mink. As an association related to the University of Barcelona, develops scientific studies on these two species of mink. Its objective is the conservation of European mink and other native mammal species that inhabit the river ecosystems of Spain.

City Hall of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Department of Environment and Public Space

The City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz has been working for more than 30 years on aspects related to the conservation of biodiversity. Among its most recognized projects is the creation of a network of parks around the city known as Anillo Verde, designed and managed with conservation criteria. Said network has so far restored 600 hectares out of the projected 1000.

Among the most successful projects is the recovery of the wetlands of Salburua (Ramsar and LIC sites), which were desiccated, and the ecological improvement of the river Zadorra as it passes through the city (LIC site). In these spaces, the priority specie of conservation is the European mink, with which the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council has been working for decades on some aspects: the management and recovery of habitat, in environmental disclosure, research  and population monitoring, and American mink trapping (more information at www.vitoria-gasteiz.org), dedicating important human and financial resources.

The collaboration of the city council in conservation initiatives of the species has been constant, to the point of being the first place in Spain in which trapps were built and possible techniques of population reinforcement of the European mink were tested. The results of these tests have been the scientific and technical basis of some of the actions proposed in this LIFE.

The commitment of the city council in the preservation of biodiversity and specially of the European mink, has been one of the reasons for its declaration as European Green Capital 2012.

Provincial Council of Álava. Department of Environment and Urban Planning

The Department of Environment and Urbanism of the Provincial Council of Alava is the responsible for the areas of the integral cycle of water, environment and landscape, nature conservation, natural spaces, renewable energy, forests, flora and fauna, planning and information of the territory, Management and Urban Discipline and the others that the legal order indicates, according to the provisions of Provincial Decree 162/2011, of July 19, which determinates the departments of the Provincial Council of Álava.

Specifically, the Environment and Biodiversity Service is responsible and the executor of the actions envisaged therein:

• The management, conservation and management of threatened species of fauna and flora and their habitats, the Network of Protected Biotopes and Red Natura 2000 sites, RAMSAR Wetlands, cataloged Landscapes and the Ecological Corridors Network of the Historical Territory of Álava.

• The development and implementation of actions on the protection, restoration and improvement of natural habitats, landscape and biodiversity.

These tasks derive from the exclusive powers of the Provincial Council and those assumed by the Basque Government in compliance with the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country (Organic Law 3/70 of December 18) and subsequent transfer of development and on the basis of Law 27/1983 of 25 November of the relations between the Common Institutions of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country and the Formal Organs of their Historical Territories.

Provincial Council of Biscay. Department of Environment

The Diputación Foral de Bizkaia (DFB-BFA) is the governing body of T.H. of Bizkaia. In addition to the ordinary powers of the deputations, the DFB exercises specific powers derived from the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country and the Law of Historical Territories of 1983.

Among these responsibilities and in relation to the project, the following are attached to the Department of the Environment: Management of Protected Natural Areas, the Natura 2000 Network and Biodiversity, and the elaboration and execution of the Management Plans of the Threatened Fauna and Flora species.

Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa. Directorate General of Forestry and Natural Environment

The Diputación Foral of Gipuzkoa is a public administration of supra-municipal character whose territorial scope of action is the Historical Territory of Gipuzkoa.
Among its powers, in accordance with the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country and development regulations are the management of the Natura 2000 Network within Gipuzkoa and the elaboration and execution of plans for the recovery of endangered species of fauna and flora.

Generalitat Valenciana. Directorate General for the Environment

One of the priority lines of work of the GVA is the fight against invasive species, to which it dedicates part of its annual budget and was the first local government to approve a catalog of exotic flora and fauna.

It has a network of alert established between environmental agents and personnel of the protected natural spaces that have been trained for the detection of exotic species that actively provides records of the location of these species.

It develops an extensive program of invasion control produced by exotic flora and fauna with remarkable success, which has resulted in the complete eradication of species of highly invasive flora, such as the water hyacinth, Salvinia molesta or the Mexican water lily, thanks to the early detection on the field, and the agreements between administrations achieved. In addition, it is currently developing an ambitious program to control invading Galapagos tortoise through the LIFE + Trachemys project.

The American mink has been subject to active control measures in the Valencian Community.

Government of Aragon

The Department of Rural Development and Sustainability of the Government of Aragon is the regional authority responsible for the policy of conservation of nature in the Autonomous Community of Aragon.
The protection of endangered species, with special attention to those considered as priorities by the European Union, falls within the direct powers of the General Directorate for the Conservation of the Natural Environment and its Biodiversity Service.
The Biodiversity Service has experience in the monitoring of populations, in the application of conservation measures and in the implementation of LIFE Projects, of which it has been Coordinating Beneficiary in 9 initiatives successfully developed in Aragon

Government of La Rioja. Directorate General for the Environment

The Directorate General of Natural Environment of the Government of La Rioja, is a public body of a management type that is part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment integrated into the Administration of the Autonomous Community of La Rioja.
Among others, it has assigned responsibilities for the declaration of threatened species of wild flora and fauna and the establishment of plans for the protection and recovery of endangered species. It is also responsible for the management, control and possible eradication of invasive alien species in La Rioja, including the American mink (Mustela vison).
It has a Regional Catalog of Threatened Species of the Flora and Fauna of La Rioja that includes the European mink (Mustela lutreola) in the category of "in danger of extinction". He developed a Life project between 2001-2004 for the conservation of this species (LIFE00 NAT / E / 7331). A European mink Recovery Plan was approved in 2002 (Decree 14/2002 of 1 March), and actions are currently underway for its renewal.
Monitoring studies of the species have been carried out for several years, the last one in 2011. Controls of American mink have also been developed more or less regularly in the last ten years.

Sendaviva. Nature Park S.A.

Sendaviva participates in the World Strategy of Zoos and Aquariums for Conservation, a document prepared by the WAZA (World Association of Zoos and Aquariums), and shares the common philosophy regarding conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development. Since 2008 he is a full member of AIZA, the Iberian Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and being in turn, member of the EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria).

Sendaviva has extensive experience in two areas of the project: captive breeding and environmental education. As a zoo we have extensive knowledge in the care and maintenance of animals in controlled environments. In recent years we have worked with other species of mustelids, such as the European otter (Lutra lutra), within a conservation program, or the Domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo), for educational purposes. This has allowed us to gain sufficient experience to work with the European mink.

Sendaviva develops an extensive educational program for both schoolchildren and the general public that visits its facilities, and increasing each year the number of educational activities and awareness actions. The target audience for our Awareness campaigns is around 180,000 visitors per year, of which about 15,000 are students from the provinces of Navarre, Basque Country, Aragon and La Rioja. In some cases, the scope of these initiatives increases due to our participation in the annual campaigns carried out by the AIZA Education Group. In this last meeting, Sendaviva has been appointed as Co-coordinator of the Association's Educators Group.