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More than 50 pupils from different parts of Biescas and the Tena Valley are taking part in the project, which has a budget of 18,000 euros. These pupils are aged from 12 to 14 years and are enrolled in the first two years of secondary school.

Through ReBive, ¡Vive tu Reserva!, most of the school's curriculum will be linked to issues facing the biosphere reserve. ‘We started with glaciers and have also developed activities related to traditional activities such as silvo-pastoralism and sustainable tourism," explains Sergio García, Manager of the Ordesa Viñamala Biosphere Reserve.

Silvo-pastoralism, which combines livestock farming with the sustainable management of wooded areas, has many benefits. For one thing, trees provide timber and offer animals a natural form of shelter. Trees also stabilize the soil, reducing erosion. The mixed landscape makes pastures more fertile, which results in more animal fodder. This is because bacteria living in the nodules of tree roots convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form of nitrogen that plants can use. This nitrogen is then transferred to the soil through falling leaves, creating a self-sustaining cycle.

As part of the project, pupils will be taken on school outings to different parts of the biosphere reserve to teach them how to look at the stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity of their immediate environment through fresh eyes. The pupils will then make a series of videos and design other informative materials inspired by what they have seen and learned.

For Elena Villagrasa, Director of the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, this agreement marks the start of an environmental education project that will "give visibility to the natural environment and cultural heritage we have in the biosphere reserve. The project is aimed at school children, who are the future".

ReBive, Vive tu Reserva! is one of the activities implemented by the Ordesa Viñamala Biosphere Reserve within a wider project . This wider project has been managed by UNESCO since 2021 and is supported by Volkswagen; it extends beyond the field of education to other aspects of sustainable development. The project is also promoting electric mobility in three Spanish biosphere reserves, as well as in Schaalsee Biosphere Reserve in Germany and Puszcza Kampinoska Biosphere Reserve in Poland.

Source: This article has been adapted from a story by Rebeca Ruiz published in the on 23 February 2023.