Africa from the new centre
Proposed centre for the study of Migration and Global Change Back in 2011 I heard that a new centre for the study 'Migration and Global Change' was going to be built on what was previously a military base just east of Tarifa at Punta Camorro. Given the current dire state of the Spanish economy, I rather assumed that this plan would never come to fruition. So imagine my delight and surprise this spring when I found that building works were in hand and the centre was due to be completed in autumn 2014. The bulk of the 1.6 million euro bill (900,000€) comes from Red Electrica de Espana, presumably in mitigation for being allowed top dot the landscape (including parts of the Natural Park!) with wind generators.
Cazalla's 'white elephant - see (c) on map below This time I hope funding is in place to set the place up properly with basic necessities (like a water and power supply), that there's no question about the access being in some way unsafe and that the political will is there to see the project through. According to the various stories I've been told over the years, all of these (and more) were the reasons why the purpose built raptor watching centre at Cazalla stands empty. This scandalous 'white elephant' sits above the road into Tarifa as a depressing monument to EU funded waste and incompetence. Recently it's been suggested to me that the EU is looking to get its money back since the place looks destined to remain mothballed permanently. I don't know whether this is true, but it wouldn't surprise me since the EU are also looking to get a multi-million refund for the abandoned Seville-Malaga AVE trainline. Whilst in many ways this makes sense, it'd be a shame as that would mean the place would never come into use. Its position makes it an ideal location for a centre to educate and inform locals/tourists - something that seems to have been willfully neglected in the past.
Looking towards Tarifa & Tangiers Only time will tell whether the new centre will fare any better – it's certainly ideally located for birdwatching, but perhaps less so to pick up 'passing trade' from tourists (if indeed this is part of the centre's brief). With accommodation and other facilities, the new centre should hopefully generate some income of its own. There's a doleful history of facilities in Spain (and doubtless elsewhere) being built, in part with EU funding, and then standing unused or, at best under used, as the funding for running costs aren't in place.
Perhaps foolishly, I'm optimistic that this time, they've got it right and that this new centre will make a significant contribution to the study of migratory birds. The detailed 'mission statement' (see -http://www.fundacionmigres.org/en/seccion/Migration/and/global/change/164/290/436/0/2/0/36) is full of worthy scientific aims and agendas. Apparently, it's main areas of activity will be
the scientific study migration and global change, research, collection of data, bio-diverstiy
technological development develoopment and application of environmental solutions
Training (seemingly aimed at post graduate students)
Conferences and publications
.... and who could argue with that?
Perhaps foolishly, I'm optimistic that this time, they've got it right and that this new centre will make a significant contribution to the study of migratory birds. The detailed 'mission statement' (see -http://www.fundacionmigres.org/en/seccion/Migration/and/global/change/164/290/436/0/2/0/36) is full of worthy scientific aims and agendas. Apparently, it's main areas of activity will be
the scientific study migration and global change, research, collection of data, bio-diverstiy
technological development develoopment and application of environmental solutions
Training (seemingly aimed at post graduate students)
Conferences and publications
.... and who could argue with that?
And yet ........
The organisation has to get a better grip on modern technology than it has been in the past and publicise its work and results to a wider, international audience. A new promised blog 'Migration at the Strait of Gibraltar' will be a start. Using Facebook and Twitter to post daily figures for migration totals surely wouldn't be too hard. I hope too that the whiff of the scientific ivory tower I had as I read through the proposals is more about my mis-perceptions than the reality to come.Birders talking to birders may be very jolly, but if we're ever going to be serious about the environment and conservation we need to engage the wider public. It always astonishes me that so many holiday makers blithely sit below one of Europe's most extraordinary spectacles, that is the mass migration of storks and raptors, without apparently noticing! Making them notice, and above all care about the fact, has got to have a high priority. This priority may yet be buried somewhere in the 'mission statement', but the fact that it isn't obvious suggests to me that getting out in the community and engaging local organisations, schools, etc isn't the priority I think it ought to be. Yet I remain optimistic - other organisations are taking up this baton and it's to be hoped that once established this new centre will do more in this vital area than seems to be promised.
The organisation has to get a better grip on modern technology than it has been in the past and publicise its work and results to a wider, international audience. A new promised blog 'Migration at the Strait of Gibraltar' will be a start. Using Facebook and Twitter to post daily figures for migration totals surely wouldn't be too hard. I hope too that the whiff of the scientific ivory tower I had as I read through the proposals is more about my mis-perceptions than the reality to come.Birders talking to birders may be very jolly, but if we're ever going to be serious about the environment and conservation we need to engage the wider public. It always astonishes me that so many holiday makers blithely sit below one of Europe's most extraordinary spectacles, that is the mass migration of storks and raptors, without apparently noticing! Making them notice, and above all care about the fact, has got to have a high priority. This priority may yet be buried somewhere in the 'mission statement', but the fact that it isn't obvious suggests to me that getting out in the community and engaging local organisations, schools, etc isn't the priority I think it ought to be. Yet I remain optimistic - other organisations are taking up this baton and it's to be hoped that once established this new centre will do more in this vital area than seems to be promised.
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