2B

Answer to 5A.

Hi, 5A.

To add your information, we have worked about your topic and we have found an interesting new.

Probably you are interested in it:

26 years ago, in 1990, ‘Torraspapel’ factory, named ‘Papelera Del Carmen’ noticed that they couldn't use the water of Ibaizabal river because of the high level of toxic products. This company discovered that the guilty was Smurfit Nervion. (Now known as Smurfit kappa) One year later, exactly on    october and december, they killed the few remaining fishes that Biscays deputation was trying to keep alive.

EKI (nowadays known as ''Ekologistak Martxan'') and ''The Consorcio de Aguas de la Merindad de Durango'' made a legal complaint but a time after, The consorcio gave up the lawsuit.

In 2005, legal case became and the district attorney demanded four months of prison for the two executives of the company.

But the ecologists were  disagree with this. They asked for they two years and four months of prison in addition to 36.000 euros to repair all the damage done.

This incident has been one of the most serious environmental incidents in the Basque Country in the last two decades. 

2A MAÑARIA'S QUARRIES.

GROUP 2-A

A quarry is an open pit mine from which are extracted large blocks of stone, which are crushed and towed. Normally a quarry is used for a certain time. Then, it is fill with groundwater and all the area is restored to create a habitat for wildlife and natural recreation.

The main negative effect of quarry extraction is the loss of habitat and the species that inhabit it.  Habitats are destroyed not only by direct removal, it may also be altered or destroyed by excessive dust, water seepage, erosion of the soil and the noise caused by the quarries. Other secondary impacts are mainly related to rivers, air and soil pollution.

The mayor of Mañaria, Endika Jaio looked for solutions to the problem of the quarries in his town. He granted the license to begin the process of dismantling the plant, however, due to the politic about pillaging the natural resources, he can’t start his project yet. Moreover, he thinks that despite her objective is very far to fulfill, the process has already began with the closing down and the recuperation of Zalloventa’s quarries, situated in Urkiola’s Natural park, two years ago. But more surprising was that when they were forced to close, the government pay them a compensation of 9.2 milion euros. Furthermore, the prohibition of continuing with the mining activities in this quarry previous mention, didn’t affect in any stent to Markomin Goikoa business, the biggest mining company in Bizkaia. Unfortunately, for our astonishment mining will continue until 2027 in one side of the quarry and until 2030 in the other one, Mutxatxe, both with a extend of 30 years.

INFORMATION RESOURCES

http://www.elcorreo.com/bizkaia/duranguesado/201406/08/cantera-zalloventa-comienza-desmantelamiento-20140607212923.html
http://www.ehowenespanol.com/efectos-ambientales-canteras-info_184967/
http://www.manaria.org/es-ES/Ayuntamiento/Paginas/default.aspx
http://www.monografias.com/trabajos82/medio-ambiente-explotacion-canteras/medio-ambiente-explotacion-canteras2.shtml

1B

Hunters shoot Uzelai, the most famous stork of the Basque country

Urdaibai, a protected area in Biscay  (Basque Country) ,is considerate a perfect place for migratory birds due to its large area and the big degree of humidity. Many birds have been living there for a long time and the reason of it is that it has been protected by the man.
The last 23rd December, the most well-known stork in the Basque Country called Uzelai has been cruelly shot by a group of teenagers through a car. A week later, the stork’s pair was searching for him.

Uzelai was a stork male and, with its pair, were part of the first couple that made their nest in Urdaibai in the last century. It was originally from Lleida (Cataluña) and as others animals, it came from the Recovery center Vallcalent Wildlife where they rescue disoriented and injured animals. It was released in Urdaibai in 2005, where it raised every year in its nest of Atxaga, Forua.
Moreover, the pair has brought up 20 baby storks, and the last three in 2015. This score means a lot taking into account the lacking number of this type of animals here.
Uzelai didn’t migrate to Africa, he spent the winter in Alava. And like other years, he returned early to Urdabai, exactly 2 weeks ago, to fix its nest and protected it from intruders.

This pair was extremely important for the reproduction of the stork in the Basque country but now, unfortunately, a group of heartless has finished with one of them. The consequences of this actions mean the loss of a lot of species in the ecosystems of the Basque Country’s biodiversity.
Urdaibai Bird Center has been protecting this specie since 2005, and they feel very sorry about this loss. They have criticized the thoughtlessness or insensibility of people with animals and their dangerous situation. They also pointed out that a great education and information is essential to avoid this kind of situation and have warned authorities about that.
PACMA, an spanish animalist party against the abuse of animals that protect  the environment and the social justice, is up to date of this incident and said that it is immoral and horrible action made by human. Furthermore, they said that they are going to continue fighting against the use of weapons and in favor of the prohibition of hunting.
There are a lot of differing opinions about how to preserve the environment and the ecosystems and avoid this situations. But, what should we really do? How make people be aware of the importance of animal’s existence?


Main Sources:

• https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reserva_de_la_biosfera_de_Urdaibai
• http://pacma.es/cazadores-disparan-a-uzelai-la-ciguena-mas-famosa-del-pais-vasco/
• http://pacma.es/
• http://www.eitb.eus/es/radio/radio-euskadi/programas/boulevard/audios/detalle/3742690/han-matado-ciguena-uzelairadio-euskadi

Ainhoa Bermejo, Nuria Llousas, Markel Mendibe and Irati Urizar

Group number: 1B

A6

HST: HIGH SPEED TRAIN  (ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES)
Despite having made a brief introduction on the HST, we decided to dig deeper into the subject by mentioning the advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, HST´s construction has a big effect in biodiversity. In addiction, the construction of HST has made a grave impact on the desforestation. In other words we have less oxigen. Moreover, it pollutes less, because it works with electricity.
On the other hand, we also have to agree that, as it is faster, this make people use it to move from places and thanks to this we will pollute less than using a car.



https://yerayone.wordpress.com/2014/12/18/ventajas-y-desventajas-del-ave/

5A SMURFIT KAPPA IN IURRETA

SMURFIT KAPPA IN IURRETA

Smurfit Kappa Nervion, advancing in its investment process, has launched a central renewable energy from forest biomass, along with a number of other environmental improvements designed for the treatment of gases.

The aim of the investment is to increase the generation of thermal and electric energy of the plant from renewable sources, increasing the efficiency of the equipment installed and boosting the capacity of treatment and management of forest residues. So it has installed a new steam turbine with three extractions of steam at different pressures, to feed thermal energy in the different processes for the production of pulp and paper. Previously, installing produced 80,000 MW h per year of renewable electric energy from biomass, using the black liquor as fuels and crusts generated both in the plant itself as in the sawmills.

The main objective of the project is to increase the consumption of biomass residual forestry from forest holdings, which, until now, remained as residue in the mountains, so that the investment will allow, in addition, to generate clean energy, contribute to keep clean the mountains, supporting the sustainability of forest resources.

Primary forest biomass will proceed in silviculture* (group of activities related to forest exploitation) operations, such as, pruning* (trimming of plants)  and selection of outbreaks.Its Valorisation has advantages such as the reduction in 34% of the indirect emissions of CO2.It will also reduce emissions of SO2*(Sulphur dioxide) and promote greater sustainable forest management.

This project will increase the consumption of forest biomass in more than 40,000 t per year, reaching a consumption of more than 100,000 t annually, with which will increase the generation of electric energy in more than 40%.


-http://www.smurfitkappa.com/vHome/es/Nervion/Paginas/Medio-Ambiente.aspx
-https://www.google.es/search?q=SMURFIT+KAPPA+IURRETA&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjUz5qjhb3KAhVJVhoKHT1kBuMQ_AUICCgD&dpr=1#imgrc=XAMDNRfEoTHowM%3A

zenbakia? Zebra mussel: Problems and solutions (3A)

ZEBRA MUSSEL: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

This problem started in the Basque Country in 2006 but this year, it has become more dangerous. Last year it was founded in Ibaizabal, in Bedia and in Usansolo.

The main cause of the zebra mussel invasion is that they stick in the lower part of the boats and that lead to the displacement of the mussel and their larvas. They dont affect to the human health but they affect in the acuatic ecosystem in a severe way. In other words, the zebra mussel feeds of plankton and that fact is bad because it reduces the amount of food for other species (fishes) and that indirectly affect us.

One solution that we have thought about it is that the government should send reports to the fishermen to warn and teach them how to fish in a responsible way. Some people thought about using pestices, but in our opinion, that’s very harmful, due to the fact that it can damage other species and also us.  

Sources:

http://www.macalester.edu/academics/environmentalstudies/threerivers/studentprojects/ENVI_133_Spr_08/Invasive_species/Zebra%20Mussels.html

http://www.elcorreo.com/vizcaya/v/20131017/vizcaya/mejillon-cebra-comienza-colonizar-20131017.html

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquaticanimals/zebramussel/index.html

1A ASIATIC WASP

"ASIATIC WASP 1A"

The asiatic wasp it is a problem for biodiversity because they kill bees. You will think that if the bees are killed nothing happens, but it isn't like this.  If the bees don't pick up the pollen,they wouldn’t have babies, which leads to the decline of the population, being able to manage to eliminate the hive.

If we keep in mind that the bees pollinate the 80% of the plants, the dangers that this new specie could cause, the consequences would be terrible,affecting to all biodiversity.

Here in Durangaldea, the local specie is disappearing and the production of honey is decreasing, due to the fact that the invasion of this specie. In a long period of time could affect terribly.

Moreover,if the plants are not pollinated, plants could not be reproduced. This would affect to the food chain of some other species.

Nowadays, experts say that the eradication of this specie is practically impossible because it is very expensive and there is not a specific treatment to eliminate this specie respecting the other ones.

Information sources:

http://www.durangon.com/de-la-avispa-asiatica-a-la-abeja-iberica_es_14_25_467.html 

http://mugalari.info/2015/10/27/la-diputacion-tarda-cinco-dias-en-enviar-a-los-bomberos-de-iurreta-a-eliminar-un-nido-de-avispas-a-un-colegio-infantil-de-durango/

http://www.higieneambiental.com/control-de-plagas/avispa-asiatica-amenaza-apicultura-agricultura-biodiversidad