A groundbreaking participatory science project is underway on an international level to analyze the societal and global well-being benefits of wetlands. In the province of Ciudad Real, the focus is on determining the happiness that the Lagoon from La Inesperada in Pozuelo de Calatrava brings to the community.
Led by the Research Group on Geomorphology, Territory and Landscape in Volcanic Regions (Geovol) and the Wetlands Section of the Regional Center for Water Studies (CREA) at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), with support from the Pozuelo de Calatrava City Council’s Employment and Local Development Agency, this project will continue until 2025.
With funding from prestigious international entities such as the MedWet Initiative for Mediterranean Wetlands and the French Office for Biodiversity, the project has already seen the active participation of fifty individuals in various activities. These include creating the first map of nitrates in the Groundwater Mass (MASb) of Campo de Calatrava, conducting a census of aquatic birds in the lagoon, and facilitating an exchange of feelings about the well-being derived from wetlands.
One of the key findings so far has been the significant role played by volcanic wetlands and river plains in reducing nitrate contamination of groundwater, potentially by up to 90% in the case of Laguna from The Unexpected. This is particularly crucial as the Court of Justice of the European Union recently condemned Spain for failing to comply with the European Nitrates Directive, highlighting the importance of safeguarding groundwater quality.
Citizen participation has been instrumental in collecting water samples and increasing the data on nitrate concentrations in the MASb of Campo de Calatrava. Through activities like an ornithological itinerary at Laguna de la Inesperada and a talk by an entomologist, participants have gained a deeper appreciation for the biodiversity and well-being benefits of wetlands.
The project’s impact is being monitored by professors from various universities to assess how citizen science can enhance the understanding of the well-being provided by wetlands. The final results will be unveiled on Earth Day, April 22, along with an awards ceremony for a contest on feelings about the well-being from wetlands. The participation period for the contest remains open until Sunday, April 14.