Conservation, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development
Areas of Action
Marine Litter
Marine litter comes mainly from land and its impacts are one of the great socio-environmental and socioeconomic challenges facing human beings, because it affects to the international oceanic waters and seabeds, as well as coasts and territorial waters of all the littoral countries of the planet.
The global nature of the problem makes it necessary to raise awareness and involve the different socioeconomic sectors and society as a whole to promote the necessary actions and measures that contribute to its prevention and reduction.
Sea Turtle Conservation
All species of sea turtles are currently considered globally under some degree of threat. Out of the seven living species, two of them are considered critically endangered (CR), two endangered (EN), two vulnerable (VU) and one lack of sufficient data (DD) to be properly assessed. The main threats that loom over them are mainly the destruction or deterioration of their nesting habitats (sandy coastal beaches), the collection of their eggs for human consumption, marine environment pollution (which can cause entanglement and lacerations, ingestion of litter, accumulation of heavy metals and organochlorine compounds in their tissues), incidence with fishing gears...
Elasmobranch Conservation
About 30% of the shark and ray species assessed worldwide are listed as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU) or Near Threatened (NT) of extinction on the Red List of Threatened Species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). For more than 45% of the species, there is no information to categorise their conservation status or threat, so they are classified as DD (deficient data). Similarly, approximately two thirds of the shark species commonly caught by high seas fisheries are classified at least as Vulnerable.
Amphibian Conservation
Amphibians are a group of special interest that can provide highly relevant information on the health and conservation status of the habitats and ecosystems where they are found, due to their condition as excellent bioindicators.
Currently, worldwide, this group is suffering an important regression as a consequence of pollution, the alteration of its habitats, the introduction of invasive species, the appearance of diseases affecting them, linked in some way to the effects produced by the accelerated climate change.
Watershed Management
The importance of hydrographic basins lies in their function of providing environmental goods and services, containing the sources that provide fresh water to all living beings and hosting essential ecosystems and species for the conservation of biodiversity. It is about geographic units with a high biological diversity of both plants and animals, with important places for the reproduction of fish, amphibians, birds, mammals, insects and other animals. Moreover, depending on its good management, it offers protection against some natural threats, such as floods and erosive processes, among others. They constitute a fundamental resource for maintaining water quality...
Forest Management and Plans
The formulation and execution of forest management and management plans ensures the conservation of ecological heritage, with a sustainable use of natural resources associated with forests. Obtaining information on the ground is essential to be able to establish appropriate forest planning and management, including not only biological, hydrogeological, soil and topographic data, but also socioeconomic, sociological and cultural ones. These plans contemplate not only actions for the conservation of forest ecosystems, but also include strategies and models to make an adequate use of forest resources...
Crocodilian Conservation
The term crocodilians, used to refer to the different species belonging to the Order Crocodylia (24 species currently living), includes "true" crocodiles (Family Crocodilidae), caimans and alligators (Family Alligatoridae) and gharials (Family Gavialidae). These large reptiles have traditionally been exploited locally, but the commercial interest in the skin of some species, together with the loss or deterioration of their habitat and the fear they arouse, have led some of their populations to be seriously threatened. Thus, nowadays seven species are critically endangered (CR) and four are considered vulnerable (VU). ..
Research Staff Training
Training of staff to carry out research work is essential for the planning and sustainable management of natural resources and environmental services. Carrying out and participating in research and management activities and projects allows the consolidation of the knowledge acquired during the academic training phase, a fundamental step to strengthen professional experience. In addition to people with academic training, local people without this training have great knowledge about their environment, which, through guidance and training, can play an essential role in the necessary knowledge...
Management of Protected Areas
Chelonia Association has developed different actions to support the declaration and management of protected areas with the official environmental authorities through the implementation of ecotourism programmes and plans, research, training and environmental education with the communities immersed in such zones and surrounding areas and as a strategy for the balanced and comprehensive management of the territory. Likewise, Chelonia has undertaken numerous processes for the preparation of technical studies to favour the declaration and planning of the management of protected natural areas in different regions of the world.