Pozuelo: a research project analyzes the well-being provided by La Inesperada

An innovative participatory science project at international level has begun to analyze and determine the happiness generated by wetlands in society and the world, and in the province of Ciudad Real, these works will focus on analyzing the happiness generated by the lagoon. From La Inesperada, in Pozuelo di Calatrava.

As a result of this project, some initiatives have already been taken, such as the version of the first map of nitrate groundwater masses (MASB) of the Campo di Calatrava, a census of aquatic birds in the lagoon and the exchange of sentiments. About the goodness that wetlands provide.

The project, which will run until 2025, is led by the Research Group on Geomorphology, Territories and Landscapes in Volcanic Zones (GEOVOL) and the Wetlands Section of the Center for Regional Water Studies (CREA) of the University of Castilla-La Mancha. UCLM), in collaboration with the Employment and Local Development Agency of the Pozuelo de Calatrava City Council.

Funded by two prestigious international organizations – the Medvet Initiative for Mediterranean Wetlands and the French Office for Biodiversity – it has already seen the participation of fifty people in four activities so far.

The nitrate map created with the help of the participants reveals the important role played by volcanic wetlands and river plains in reducing increasing nitrate pollution in groundwater by up to 90% in the case of The Unexpected’s Laguna.

It comes as the Court of Justice of the European Union this month censured the Kingdom of Spain because eight autonomous communities, including Castilla-La Mancha, have failed to comply with the European Nitrates Directive for years.

The MASB of the Campo di Calatrava is at risk of not meeting the objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive for 2027, particularly due to agriculture-intensive overfertilization and industrial meat production.

The promoters of this project have recalled the importance of guaranteeing the quality of groundwater, noting that due to the small volume of water stored in the Vega del Jabalón reservoir, many municipalities such as Pozuelo de Calatrava depend on groundwater for their supplies. .

To create this nitrate map, participants in the initiative have attended a training workshop given by biologist Álvaro Chicote, in which they contributed water samples collected with instructions from UCLM staff, whose use in the environment The analysis has been done in his presence. Pozuello di Calatrava’s teaching class.

Furthermore, citizen participation has made it possible to increase by 33% the number of nitrate concentration data in the new points of the MASB of the Campo di Calatrava.

For its part, an ornithological itinerary through the Laguna de la Inesperada allowed Geovol members to share the physical and mental well-being provided by the observation of aquatic birds with those registered in this activity, and the entomologist Pablo Pichaco gave a conference at which city native José María de la Fuente spoke about the biodiversity of the wetland and the work of the Cura de los Bichos, strengthening the people’s sense of identity with their lagoon.

The informational impact of the project is being monitored by a group of professors from the Faculties of Education of the Autonomous University of Ciudad Real, Toledo and Madrid, to investigate how the perception of the well-being of wetlands provides change for citizen science , which will allow you to better design future initiatives for the project team.

The results will be presented publicly on 22 April, Earth Day, along with an awards ceremony for the competition of sentiments about the well-being provided by wetlands, with the participation period open until Sunday, 14 April.