Heritage trees

All over the country there are trees 

that have become part of our collective landscape heritage. 

They are usually either very large, or of extraordinarily beauty or age,

 and many are part of history and popular lore, 

having played a role in historical events, 

or figure in local stories and legends.

© 2009 Landscape Observatory of Catalonia / Hospici, 8 - 17800 OLOT - Tel: +34 972 27 35 64 - Fax: +34 972 27 15 89 -observatori@catpaisatge.net

How Popular is the poplar tree?

Investigators of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) have succeeded in genetically modifying female Poplar trees for the decontamination of water and soil of the pollutant TNT (trinitrotoluene). This explosive, highly toxic and difficult to dispose of pollutant is a problem throughout large parts of Europe and the United States of America.

Deep rooted Poplar trees can reach down to aquifers to absorb water and pollutants deeper embedded in the land. Enzymes in the plant material converts the TNT in to a harmless substance mostly stored within the trees roots during their lifetime. Because the contaminant does not reach the leaf fallen leaves do not present a risk to grazing animals.Using female trees eliminates the risk of pollen from modified trees spreading to the wider environment. The decontamination process takes up to 15 years.

The highly explosive TNT is toxic to living organisms and very difficult to remove, there is no 100% effective method: 

"For the time is used excavation and incineration, an expensive and not very kind to the environment, "says Pieter van Dillewijn of the Experimental Station Zaidín. “There are other more economical methods such as composting, but its implementation is more limited and often without reliable data,” adds the investigator.

Once absorbed by the plant or when the tree dies the Dutchman believes that it would be necessary to remove the mature plant, including much of its roots, so the TNT or its derivatives do not return to the ground. Then incinerate the tree and thereby generate energy.

Doñana Biological Station Exhibition

     Doñana Biological Station

The Doñana Biological Station is a public Research Institute belonging to the Spanish Council for Scientific Research CSIC in the area of Natural Resources. Our fundamental mission is to carry out multidisciplinary research of the highest standard directed to understanding, from an evolutionary viewpoint, the way in which biodiversity is generated, maintained and how it deteriorates, as well as the consequences of its loss and the possibilities of its conservation and restoration. An inseparable derivative is also to promote the transfer of this knowledge to society.

The Institute is formed by its main building in Seville and two field stations, the Doñana Biological Reserve ICTS (Doñana Natural Space, Almonte, Huelva) and the Roble Hondo Field Station (Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas Natural Park)

HARMONY AND THE FRACTAL DOÑANA MARSHES

A stroll through harmonic forms sculpted by the mud, the weather and water in the marshes of Andalusia.

Doñana fractal harmony and wetlands is an initiative of the National Research Council which is composed of a popular exhibition, a book and you're visiting this site.

Through the original and stunning aerial photography Hector Garrido has done in the marshes and the Atlantic Andalusian scientific direction of Professor Juan Manuel Garcia Ruiz, visitors can approach the complex and fascinating world of fractal geometry of the forms of nature.

The report "The Skin of Doñana," published in El Pais Semanal (26/10/2008) has won the National Journalism Award in the category Sustainable Doñana Photography in November 2008.

Firagri - Figueres 2009

Firagri  2009

The tenth edition of the Agricultural and Livestock Fair of the Districts of Girona (Firagri) will be held in Figueres between Friday 6th  to Sunday, 8th March 2009.

The fair is organized by the Municipality of Figueres and turns this city into a 'showcase of the field', where the representatives of the agricultural world and farmers can learn about some of the latest developments in the field of machinery, agricultural products and services,  that have come onto the market since the last Firagri, held in 2007. 

The organization works with the provisions of keeping the exhibition space and number of exhibitors from the last edition. 

Some of the exhibitors that will draw attention are innovations that are present as a system of biological control of pests on the public, a machine to cover the land of orchards with plastic thus preventing it to grow grass and a quad Fully equipped for the farming work. 

The fair will be installed in the area south of Figueres, the exhibition can  be visited daily from 10 am to 7:30 pm in the evening. 

Admission price €2.50 

Cavalcada de Reis a Figueres

The three Kings have arrived in Figueres, Catalunya and the distribution of Christmas

presents to the children has began. Spanish children celebrate their Christmas on the

6th of January each year the feast of the Epiphany. Smaller gifts are now given on

Christmas Eve. as the influence of the traditional northern european celebration grows.

As the Cavalcade passes through the town sweets are thrown to the waiting children.

If you have ever wondered how Christmas is celebrated in Spain you will enjoy this 

video clip by Traumontana Television. Enlarge to full screen and turn the speakers up!

Food buffs should listen carefully and they will hear the reference to the legendery

Buttifara, the great Catalan pork sausage! And yes they taste as good as they sound.

My Brother in law Alan is hooked and is desperate to find a UK supplier for his 

2009 Beer Festival BBQ. all invited the address is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Girona Festival of Flowers - Temps de Flors 2009

The Girona Festival of Flowers 2009 (Temps de Flors) is scheduled to run between May 10th & May 18th 2009. 

Parks and gardens offer free admission though monument sites do make a charge.

During the festival many public buildings and private gardens are decorated with floral motifs, spaces to which the public are not normally invited within the old quarter of the city open their doors to visitors.

Photographs from last years exhibition can be viewed by clicking on this link.

If you would like to visit the Temps de Flors 2009 exhibits in the company of a local guide the estimate of charges is as follows.

Visits to a half day (3 hours):

Of    1 to 25 people: € 110.00 + 16% VAT

From 26 to 40 pax: € 120.00 + 16% VAT

From 41 to 55 people: € 135.00 + 16% VAT

Visits throughout the day (6am):

Of    1 to 25 people: € 175.00 + 16% VAT

From 26 to 40 pax: € 185.00 + 16% VAT

From 41 to 55 people: € 200.00 + 16% VAT

MORE INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS:

POINT OF WELCOME

c / Berenguer Carnicer, 3

17001 - GIRONA

TEL 972 211 678

FAX 972 221 135

pbturisme@ajgirona.org

January tasks for the Mediterranean gardener

New Year tasks for the Mediterranean gardener.

January has brought cold Siberian winds to the garden as 2009 dawns. The early morning frosts have been a welcome blow against the Tiger Mosquito which tried to establish itself in L’Alt Empordà during the warmer summer days; the eradication initiatives in the coastal plain seem to be effective, though it seems colonies may persist in the south of Girona province.

 Now it is time to deal with Garden jobs for January.

• Large Trees should by now of been pruned to shape. Timber from those trees should be cut and stacked in dry airy conditions to provide firewood for the cold spell next year. If you try to burn the freshly cut wood it will fill your house with smoke and provide little heat.
• Shrubs too should be cut back to stimulate fruit production and flower buds where that occurs on new seasons growth. Chop up the cut branches and leaves and incorporate them into your compost heap.
• Compost heaps will benefit from being turned to introduce a little air into the material, ensure the heap is damp and firm down to stimulate the biological action. Dry material will not decompose.
• Worm activity falls off as the temperature declines and frost can kill those valuable garden friends. Place your wormery in a sheltered spot and consider insulation to maintain temperature. Remember to keep the bed damp but not wet and feed the worms.
• Cultivation - Rainfall rare as it has been has softened the earth and will provide an opportunity to cultivate the soil. Bed preparation will be assisted by any frost which will break down soil with higher clay content.
• Compost from the previous year’s heap should be added to freshly dug ground where it can be dug in to help boost soil fertility.
• Mulch - Heavy rain such as we experience here in our particular Mediterranean Garden can compact the soil quite badly. A heavy mulch of fibrous compost from our heap helps to minimise the damage and the worms will pull the material into the soil.
• Bamboo canes are grown as windbreaks throughout Spain they are plentiful and the canes can be cut and dried for a supporting role in your garden. The bamboo wood is easier to make holes in whilst still fresh so if you need to add holes for wires and fixings do it as soon as you have harvested the bamboo.

Europeana Cultural digital database

                                     

Students of European Arts and History may be interested in visiting the relaunched digital archive that is known as Europeana. 

Searching in Europeana

Within Europeana you can search through millions of digital items provided by Europe's museums and galleries, archives, libraries and audio-visual organsiations.

Searching in Europeana is simple. Just ask yourself who, what, where or when you are interested in and type these words into Europeana's search box. If you are stuck for ideas try:

• Who: Names of actors, authors, architects, artists, choreographers, composers, conductors, dancers, film directors, musicians or photographers.
• What: Words from titles of books, poems, newspapers, paintings, photographs, films or television programmes.
• Where: Names of towns, cities or countries within Europe or around the world.
• When: Dates (e.g. 1945) such as the year you were born in or a famous date in history or a period (e.g. Roman or Medieval).

Using the advanced search you can search specifically for words in titles, for names of creators (e.g. authors, artists, musicians etc.) or dates (e.g. 1945). Alternatively you can combine your search terms (e.g. title: hamlet and date: 1983).

Arbolé, Arbolé - Tree Tree

Arbolé, Arbolé

Tree, tree

dry and green.

The girl with the pretty face 

is out picking olives. 

The wind, playboy of towers, 

grabs her around the waist. 

Four riders passed by

on Andalusian ponies, 

with blue and green jackets 

and big, dark capes. 

"Come to Cordoba, muchacha." 

The girl won't listen to them.

 

Three young bullfighters passed, 

slender in the waist, 

with jackets the color of oranges 

and swords of ancient silver. 

"Come to Sevilla, muchacha." 

The girl won't listen to them. 

When the afternoon had turned

dark brown, with scattered light, 

a young man passed by, wearing 

roses and myrtle of the moon. 

"Come to Granada, inuchacha." 

And the girl won't listen to him. 

The girl with the pretty face

keeps on picking olives 

with the grey arm of the wind 

wrapped around her waist.

Tree, tree

dry and green.

Federico 

García

 Lorca