Environmental technicians from both sides of the Bidasoa to exchange experiences in Salburua, Zadorra and the Vitoria-Gasteiz green belt

V Txinbadia technical session organised by the Basque Government

On Wednesday 2 July, a group of fifteen environmental technicians from around the Txingudi Bay, from both Gipuzkoa and Labourd, will hold a work session in Vitoria-Gasteiz to analyse the situation and management of the River Zadorra, Salburua Park and the green belt.

According to Amaia Barredo, the Basque Government’s Environmental Planning Director, “it is the fifth session that we are holding in the Txinbadia project, where technicians from both sides of the Bidasoa in the Bay of Txinbadia discuss their experiences and progress with magnificent results for everyone’s work”.

Barredo went on to explain that “technicians will also be present from other Basque Government teams from Urdaibai and Peñas Negras. The work that we are carrying out in Txingudi is giving very good results and we need to learn about other nearby experiences such as those relating to the area around Vitoria Gasteiz where we will call on Basques from both sides of the Bidasoa”.

The Programming Committee of the Spain-France-Andorra Territorial Cooperation Programme (POCTEFA)) decided that TXINBADIA 14-15 was one of the 14 approved projects (out of a total of 38 submitted) in the 3rd Call of the Programme that will receive ERDF funding for Cross-border Cooperation projects.

TXINBADIA 14-15 will receive a €701,265 grant (65% of the total budget of the project, which stands at €1,078,869) from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).  It is one of the three projects with the largest budget of this Call (third after AECT, HC of La Cerdaña Cross-Border Hospital, and BIDIREX, to manage the Bielsa-Aragnouet tunnel).

The project partners are the Basque Coast Permanent Centre for Environmental Initiatives (CPIE), the Coastal Conservatory, the Hendaye Community, and Basque Government which, through its Environmental Planning and Natural Environment Directorate, is yet again the lead partner, (coordinator and answering to the POCTEFA). The Basque Government’s budget accounts for 59% of the project total.

“TXINBADIA 14-15” seeks to continue and complete the TXINBADIA project, which has been running since 2010. One of the cornerstones is to consolidate the work network, particularly by means of brainstorming and transferring experiences, and of momentum and environmental education. This Network is made up of 4 environmental education and information resources associated to the two main coastal natural spaces of the territory:  the Txingudi saltmarshes (Gipuzkoa) and the Domaine d’Abbadia–Basque Cornice (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), both belonging to the Natura 2000 Network.

Txingudi Ekoetxea, for the BAC, and Larretxea, Nekatoenea, and Asporotsttipipor for the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, are the centres taking part in this initiative, and the team that will manage, from 2015, Asporotsttipi, the new Basque Cornice Interpretation Centre, will be integrated into the cooperation dynamics.

Apart from the brainstorming sessions and programming the activities to be offered by those amenities, TXINBADIA 14-15 also envisages different measures to improve the facilities for use by the general public (trails, panels) and the implementation of environmental recovery pilot schemes, such as fitting out a pool for odonata.  It also envisages continuity with successful experiences in the previous project, such as using eco-grazing to control the vegetation on San Lorenzo Island, or cyanobacteria blooms “Early Warning System”. 

It also includes a specific line or work for dissemination and communication actions that includes publishing a new mini-guide on trees and shrubs, and a publication on the Basque Cornice.