Extremadura

The experts look to the future of the lesser kestrel. The creation and management of urban ZEPAs (Special Bird Protection Areas) containing lesser kestrels and the potential of this species as a tourist resource were the themes of the fourth and last day of the VIII International Congress online on the conservation of the lesser kestrel.

EXPERTS AGREE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROTECTION OF AGRICULTURAL HABITAT IN THE CONSERVATION OF THE LESSER KESTREL

For the third consecutive day experts of international renown met today at the VIII International Congress online on lesser kestrel conservation as part of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project; the Congress was coordinated by the Sustainability Department of the Regional Government of Extremadura. Today's programme stressed the importance of traditional farming practice in the conservation of suitable habitat for the lesser kestrel.

Today was the second day of the VIII International Congress online on the conservation of the lesser kestrels as part of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project, which is coordinated by the Sustainability Department of the Regional Government of Extremadura.

The minister for Ecological Transition and Sustainability of the Regional Government of Extremadura, Olga García, has inaugurated the VIII International Congress online on the conservation of the lesser kestrel, appealing for awareness in all sectors so as to continue working for the conservation of the species. She has stressed as an example of what can be done the achievements of recent years with the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project on "Urban ZEPA Management in Extremadura", of which this congress is one of the final events.

The tourist offices of Cáceres, Jerez de los Caballeros, Plasencia, Trujillo, and Zafra will soon have new promotional material as part of the Life-ZEPAURBAN project, the result of the work carried out by our Laruinagráfica partners and the Tourist Department for the E5 action of the project. This material takes the form of street maps so the visitor can go on a self-guided tour and get to know at the same time the main monumental and ornithological heritage of each of these five towns.

URBAN BIRDING is the name of the tourist product that has been created in Extremadura (under the Life ZEPAURBAN Project, funded by Europe) with the lesser kestrel and other urban birds in mind.

As part of the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN Project, a series of activities have been started designed to disseminate the wealth of the birding community at the urban SPAs of Extremadura, with special attention being paid to the lesser kestrel, as well as to raise awareness among the local population about the need to protect the area as well as about its potential as a tourist resource. These actions revolve around talks and guided tours for schoolchildren, as well as other activities that are open to the rest of the population.

The lesser kestrel is an original and different resource for tourism that exists in your locality. Now you can benefit from its presence to improve your own product in a simple way, without cost. We recommend that you participate, in a simple way, in the product that we are creating. Here is the initial information that you need, and we can explain how to register.

Technicians from the General Directorate of the Environment and the General Directorate of Libraries, Museums and Cultural Heritage have continued their visits to the buildings that will be part of the forthcoming programme in the action C1 Improving nest sites in buildings of heritage value in the urban SPAs of Extremadura. On this occasion they have visited the church of San Bartolomé in Jerez de los Caballeros, as well as the Parador of Zafra, both buildings for which there are plans for work in the LIFE-ZEPAURBAN project.

Within action A2 of LIFE ZEPAURBAN Study and characterisation of the feeding habitats of lesser kestrels in urban SPAs and roosts in Extremadura, a significant number of individuals have been captured and tagged in three urban SPAs in the region: Acedera (Badajoz), Casa de La Enjarada (Cáceres) and Trujillo (Cáceres).