Guadalajara Slow Film Festival, November 21-23
The 14th edition of the Guadalajara Slow Film Festival will be held from 21 to 23 November 2024 in Cabanillas del Campo (Guadalajara province) with the concept ‘Wild’ as focus topic. This activity is organised by El Rincón Lento association and Contrapicado Films collective and this year is supported by Rewilding Spain.
This film festival is a cycle of independent and auteur cinema, which has been held annually since 2011, and which essentially seeks to motivate the creation and viewing of films on the theme of slow life, understood as a series of actions that encompass respect for the environment and people, responsible consumption, culture, degrowth, alternative life and leisure, cooperation, food sovereignty and the social economy.
International ecotourism fair Naturcyl 2024
From 20 to 22 September Rewilding Spain will take part in the international ecotourism fair Naturcyl 2024, to take place in La Granja (Segovia). We will share information about our rewilding initiative together with our colleagues from Rewilding Portugal at booth D20.
In addition, on Sunday 22nd we will have the opportunity to meet personally at the conference ‘Rewilding in the Iberian Highlands, an initiative for nature and for people’.
Delta Birding Festival, 20 to 22 September in the Ebro Delta
We are back at the Delta Birding Festival, one of the most prestigious ornithological events held in Spain. It takes place from 20th to 22nd September in the iconic Ebro Delta and at our stand we will be sharing information about our work, ecotourism resources in the Iberian Highlands and our new fold-out guide ‘Birding in the Iberian Highlands. Maps and habitats’.
III Serranía Rural Fair, June 21 -23 in Tragacete
Tragacete Town Council (in Cuenca province) and Rewilding Spain are organising the 3rd Serranía Rural Fair, which will take place from 21 to 23 June in this village. This is the third edition of an event that aims to promote the ecotourism potential of this area of the Serranía de Cuenca region, as well as providing a visibility space for producers and artisans to market their products. The fair includes a street market for these local producers, as well as a programme of activities linked to the area’s valuable natural resources and local nature-based local businesses.
Those attending the fair will be able to take part in a guided necrophagous bird watching route and several guided hiking trails.
To make partipation easier for visitors, a shuttle bus will be available to and from Cuenca city. The return ticket costs 5 euros and includes lunch at the fair.
The event is also supported by the Cuenca Provincial Council and Castilla-La Mancha regional government.
Rewilding Spain is launching a training programme aimed at professionals and companies in the tourism sector located in the Iberian Highlands (Molina-Alto Tajo, Serranía de Cuenca and Montes Universales-Sierra de Albarracín regions). The goal is is helping them to acquire skills that will enable them to expand their business.
The course to open this training programme is ‘How to work with travel agencies and increase sales’, which will be held on 17 and 18 June. To facilitate participation, the course has been organised simultaneously in-classroom and online mode, so participants can choose one or the other, as well as combine them, depending on their availability. On 17 June the course will be held in Molina de Aragón (Guadalajara), while on 18 June it will move to Tramacastilla (Teruel).
The contents will be given by Silvana Pol, expert in distribution channels, ecotourism and founder of Vivewuada agency.
This action is fully funded by Rewilding Spain, so there is no cost for the attending companies. A diploma will be delivered at the end of the course.
Women Entrepreneurship Fair in Molina de Aragón, May 18
The Women Entrepreneurship Fair will take place on May 18 in Molina de Aragón village, in partnership with Rewilding Spain.
Programme as follows:
– Street market ‘Qué bien sabe lo nuestro’.
– Activity for children. ‘Exploring the Geopark: workshop on fossils and minerals’.
– Comar-Crea. Imagination of proximity.
– Workshop on group cohesion and self-care for entrepreneur women through artistic disciplines (Women’s Centre).
– Theatre performance: ‘Orgullo Rural’, by Elia & Uxía.
I Resin Festival in Cobeta. March 16
The municipality of Cobeta is hosting the 1st Resin Festival, an event organised by Tras las Huellas association in partnership with Cobeta Town Council and Rewilding Spain. This event will celebrate the new resin collection campaign, one of the traditional livelihoods for many inhabitants of the area.
The programme of the 1st Resin Festival will begin in the pine forest of Cobeta with a talk explaining this work and the tools used to carry it out. Other popular activities targeting the whole familiy have been planned.
FIO Festival (International Extremadura Birdwatching Fair), February 23-25 in Monfragüe
Monfragüe National Park will once again become the great meeting point for nature tourism and birdwatching lovers at the International Extremadura Birdwatching Fair (FIO), considered an international benchmark in the sector and to be held in February 23-25.
Rewilding Spain will have a booth in FIO 2024 (number 301), where we´ll share information about our Iberian Highlands rewilding initiative (Alto Tajo, Serranía de Cuenca and Sierra de Albarracín-Montes Universales regions), as well as the opportunities for ecotourism in the area.
In a unique way, we will present our new brochure for birdwatching in the landscape, aimed at ecotourism, nature photography and conservation lovers.
In addition, we will be accompanied by several ecotourism companies based in the landscape, so they present to visitors their services and all the potential of the area in terms of nature and tourism.
FIO festival will be held in Villarreal de San Carlos (Serradilla, Cáceres). In addition to the exhibition area, there is a full agenda of workshops, lectures, business meetings, and exhibitions open to all visitors.
Farmland rewilding and regenerative viticulture in the Ribera del Duero region
Rewilding Spain is organising together with SBNCLIMA and the Green Office of the University of Burgos this conference to be held on November 28 in Aranda de Duero (Burgos) with the following objectives:
– Implementing the European Climate Pact at local and regional level.
– Raising awareness of the principles and practices of both regenerative viticulture and rewilding, the crossing points between these disciplines and the environmental (climate, biodiversity, water, soil), social and economic benefits.
– Providing visibility to the existing cases of regenerative viticulture in Ribera del Duero, the transformation process they have followed, difficulties, opportunities and good practices.
– Starting a collective process for the expansion of the model in the Ribera, establishing commitments and a roadmap.
The Chairman of Rewilding Spain and Professor of Ecology at the University of Alcalá, José María Rey Benayas, and the General Manager of our Foundation, Mara Zamora, will present in this event, together with Jesús Iglesias, from SBNCLIMA and ambassador of the European Climate Pact, and representatives of several wineries based in Ribera del Duero region.
Book presentation: ‘La renaturalización del campo’, by José María Rey Benayas
The Chairman of Rewilding Spain Foundation, José María Benayas, will present his book ‘La renaturalización del campo. Agricultura y biodiversidad pueden compartir la tierra’, in an event to be held next Tuesday October 31 in Universidad de Alcalá Hall.
Speakers:
- Javier de la Mata. Research and Knowledge Transfer Vice Chancellor, UAH.
- Mario González Espinosa. Researcher for ECOSUR (México).
- Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente. Biologist and environmental comunicator, Rewilding Spain Trustee.
- Asunción Ruiz. Executive Director in SEO/BirdLife.
- Francisco B. Reyes. IFAPA.
- José María Ruiz Benayas. Author.
DELTA BIRDING FESTIVAL
Delta Birding Festival 2023
The Ebro Delta, one of the most important natural areas in the Western Mediterranean, hosts every year the Delta Birding Festival, an event aimed at ornithology lovers in particular and nature lovers in general, which offers a wide range of activities including conferences, courses, workshops and competitions, among others.
Rewilding Spain will attend this year’s event, to take place on September 22, 23 and 24, participanting in the exhibition area alongside other organisations, institutions and service companies linked to conservation and nature tourism. In our stand, we will explain to all visitors our Iberian Highlands rewilding initiative and how we are working to ensure that rewilding benefits both nature and the socio-economic development in the area.
In addition, our Iberian Highlands’ team leader, Pablo Schapira, will participate in the round table ‘Reintroductions’, where he will share the experiences we are carrying out in our territory with large herbivores and black vultures (Saturday 23, 18:00 – Ágora space).
Visit us at Delta Birding Festival!
Presentation event of Rewilding Spain in Madrid
Rewilding Spain will hold next Thursday, May 25, a presentation event at CaixaForum Madrid that will serve to highlight the growing role of rewilding in Spain, disseminate the goals for the coming years and share with institutions and other environmental organizations the evolution of Iberian Highlands rewilding initiative.
The event will feature the following pitches:
– José María Rey, Chairman of Rewilding Spain.
– Deli Saavedra, Head of Landscapes at Rewilding Europe.
– Mara Zamora, General Manager of Rewilding Spain.
– Pablo Schapira, Team Leader of Iberian Highlands initiative.
In addition, an open dialogue will take place with the biologist Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente, who has recently joined the Supervisory Board of Rewilding Spain; Jordi Palau, member of the Supervisory Board and author of the book ‘Rewilding Iberia’, and Marco Bolognini, lawyer and member of the Supervisory Board.
World Rewilding Day 2023
On March 20, we will celebrate the 3rd #WorldRewildingDay.
World Rewilding Day 2023 will see rewilding initiatives and people from six continents come together again to raise awareness of rewilding and the need for nature recovery around the globe. With the slogan #RewildingHOPE, this year’s event will focus on the hope that rewilding offers to both nature and people.
Rewilding Spain will join this celebration holding some special events that we want to share with all the people who believe the return of nature means hope for the planet and for all of us.
Presentation event of Iberian Highlands initiative, February 28 in Sierra de Albarracin
An open event aimed at officials, local associations and general public living in the Sierra de Albarracin area region will be held next February 28 in Tramacastilla in order to publicly present Iberian Highlands to local stakeholders. The presentation will also address the objectives and some rewilding actions that are already work in progress in the area.
We will share our rewilding vision about nature and how working for a healthier nature can also provide opportunities for the social and economic development of the Sierra de Albarracin region. The meeting will be opened by the president of Comunidad de Albarracin and mayor of Frias de Albarracin, Benito Lacasa, and Rewilding Spain Team Leader, Pablo Schapira, will present the Iberian Highlands initiative. As well, Ricardo Almazán, managing director of La Maleza Wildlife Park will also speak about their experience as a relevant partner of Rewilding Spain in the area.
The event will take place on February 28 at 12 p.m. at Casa de la Comunidad (c/Magdalena, 23 – Tramacastilla).
Building engagement with Molina-Alto Tajo area stakeholders
Mayors, representatives of local associations, country house and other local business owners, teachers and some regional government officers attended the Rewilding Spain presentation event held in Molina de Aragón last February 16. Around 50 people joined Rewilding Spain team and got to know the details about Iberian Highlands rewilding initiative and, particularly, how nature comeback can provide benefits to local communities. The event was opened by Molina de Aragon mayor, Francisco J. Montes, and Rewilding Spain Team Leader, Pablo Schapira, shared the focal points and objectives of this initiative. After the event, face-to-face meetings provided an excellent chance to explore potential collaboration opportunities between Rewilding Spain and a number of associations.
Presentation event of Iberian Highlands rewilding initiative, coming in Molina de Aragón
An open event aimed at officials, local associations and general public living in the Molina-Alto Tajo region will be held next February 16 in Molina de Aragón in order to publicly present Iberian Highlands to locals. The presentation will also address the objectives and some rewilding actions that are already work in progress in the area.
We will share our rewilding vision about nature and how working for a healthier nature can also provide opportunities for the social and economic development of the Molina-Alto Tajo region. Opportunities both for the creation of new natured-based businesses based, and to stop depopulation and boost the retention of young talent.
The meeting will be opened by the mayor of Molina de Aragón, Francisco Javier Montes, and Rewilding Spain Team Leader, Pablo Schapira, will present the Iberian Highlands initiative.
The event will take place on February 16 at 7:00 p.m. at Santa María del Conde church in Molina de Aragón (Plaza de España, 23 – Molina de Aragón).
Rafael Abuin
First World Meeting of Translocation Professionals for Conservation
On May 2022 we collaborated with Spanish and international organizations in the organization of the First Global Meeting of Conservation Translocation Practitioners. For three days, more than 100 professionals from the five continents shared their practical experience in reintroduction and rewilding programs in the city of Valencia. This was the first meeting of its kind in the world and we feel honored to be part of the organizing committee.