Text: Nina / firmm

Last summer a major fin whale stranded in the bay of Bolonia. The people living there and especially the children were very emotional about that. Katharina Hehenberger, mother of one of these children and former secretary of firmm, talked to the administration of the Public school “Campiña de Tarifa” and thereby made it possible that our marine biologist Jörn Selling was invited to present the marine mammals living in their environment to the children.

On the first day 31 attentive children listened in Tahivilla to the lecture about the whales and the dolphins in the Strait of Gibraltar. On the second day there were even 63 children, all between 6 and 15 years old. The day started with the small children and ended with the juveniles.
All of them showed lively interest in the marine mammals and had a lot of questions. Moreover, they had the need to tell all their own experiences and knowledge to our marine biologist Jörn to learn even more about the animals.
The atmosphere was relaxed and funny, which was absolutely in our sense, because we believe that only by means of enthusiasm for the animals the children may be sensitized. All that according to
the motto of firmm: Only what I know and love, I am willing to protect.

We want to express our special thanks to Director Manuel Vaquero who is very involved in the exchange with local organizations and made it possible that firmm was invited into the public schools. We also express our high appreciation to the parents of the children who - by supporting such projects - prove their openness and willingness to support their children’s interest in our environment and its creatures.
All in all these 2 days have been very successful and firmm has reached once more its aim of sensitization.

Text: Nadja von Wegen and Diana Steffens

On Saturday morning the first annual two day meeting of all regional environmental organizations of the Strait of Gibraltar took place in the ornithological station of Tarifa. This meeting aimed to sensitize the population of the Strait of Gibraltar, to exchange ideas and to present the activities of the various organizations.

In spite of the strong Levante that was blowing in Tarifa that Saturday morning, everyone was in a relaxed and happy mood. In addition to good music and Spanish food there were interesting discussions between the organizers and the visitors.

Half-hour lectures were held by all participating organizations that pointed out the importance of a continued support of the projects and the necessity to sensitize the population to the endangered nature in the area of Tarifa.
The presentation of our marine biologist Jörn produced a lot of interest to young and old and met with approval.

In the evening of this first and very informative day we had an evening program with a fine barbecue, open-air cinema and good live music. We celebrated the whole night.

The members who attended the meeting among others were:
Asociación de Amigos de la Jada, Agaden, Ecologistas en Acción San Fernando, Verdemar, Asociación Cuartón Parque, Tarifa Viva, Al_Nafida, Garum, Plataform de Cuidadanos Rodeados por las Fábricas, Nerita, Agedpa, Colectivo Ornitológico Cigüeña Negra, Fundación Migres, Turmares, Whale Watch, firmm.

The meeting was organized by the Ornithological Association Cigüeña Negra (COCN), Nerita (Gaditan Association of Marine Science of the Strait of Gibraltar) and the municipal council of Tarifa.
COCN is an association that concentrates on the research, the protection and the conservation and especially cares for the birds of the region of Campo de Gibraltar. These aims are achieved by the help of a large number of volunteers and members of the COCN. Nerita is an organization that rescues stranded and injured marine mammals and collects data for indexing.

All in all we are looking favorably upon this informative weekend. Thus a first step was done and we are looking forward to the following moves.

Nadja, Ines, Diana, Manuela