Protected Areas & National Parks in Europe

Burgos meeting Photograph Album

2010-06-21T11:02:00.014+02:00

Well, after to processing all our Burgos photographs here are the different pictures albums sorted by activities.
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To get the photograph album to watch you just have to click on the name of the choosen activity.
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01. School welcome
02. Catedral and bikes
03. Burgos Castle
04. CAB Burgos Modern Art
05. Santa Maria Arch
06. Town Hall Welcome
07. Casa del Cordon
08. Nature Aulas CB
09. Monastery of Las Huelgas
10. Salas Dinos Museo
11. Hacinas Fosil Trees Museo
12. Demanda Range
13. Lagunas Neila
14. San Miguel Brewery
15. The Cartuja of Miraflores
16. Project work
17. Bike rides and lunch
18. Burgos various

Summary of the Comenius Meeting in Burgos

2010-05-12T11:55:00.003+02:00

The first week of May 2010 twelve teachers (three of every school involved in the project) were in Burgos (Spain) to have the last Coordination Project Meeting.Click HERE to see the summary of the activities of this Meeting

Comenius Project in Burgos Newspaper

2010-05-10T19:17:00.005+02:00

This is the page with the report of the "El Correo de Burgos - El Mundo" about the Official reception in Burgos Town Hall with the Mayor of Burgos.

COMENIUS MEETING IN BURGOS

2010-05-10T19:06:00.005+02:00

The first week of May, 12 teachers from Finland, Austria, Czech Republic and Germany were in Burgos to have the last Project Meeting in Burgos.

Next week you will see the summary in a Power Point presentation and the photographs from all the activities and all the visits

The teachers of the Comenius Project in the Mirador del Castillo

Comenius Meeting in Burgos

2010-03-27T21:44:00.001+01:00

Week Programme from 3 to 8 May 2010

Monday, 3-5-2010:

Arrival:

Participants will be taken to their accommodation. Hotel ACANTO

Free time, relaxation

17:00 Bicycle collecting in the Burgos Young Space

18:00 Guided visit to the Cathedral of Burgos

21:00 Supper

22:00 Evening Programme

Information about the programme

Tuesday, 4-5-2010:

8:00 Breakfast

9:00 Departure from the Hotel to the I.E.S. Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente

10:00 Official welcome at the school

Guide tour through the school

Snack

12:00 Project work at the Institute

13:00 Bike ride to La Cartuja (The Chartreuse of Miraflores). Visit to La Cartuja

14:00 Lunch at the “Mirador del Castillo-BNB”

16:30 Visit to the Castle of Burgos and the Center of recuperation of Birds

18:00 Visit to the CAB. ”Burgos Art Center” of Caja Burgos (Modern Art Museum )

19:00 Short walk around the old quarters of the city of BURGOS

21:00 Supper

Wednesday, 5-5-2010

8:00 Breakfast

9:30 Meeting at the Institute

10:30 Departure to the Town Hall

11:00 Welcome Ceremony at the Town Hall with the Mayor of Burgos

13:00 Visit to the Center of Nature of Caja Circulo

14:00 Lunch in “El Fogón de Jesusón”

17:00 Visit to the Monastery of Las Huelgas Reales

19:00 Visit to the Pilgrim Shelter of the Camino de Santiago

19:30 Free time for shopping and sightseeing

21:00 Supper

22:00 Evening Programme:

Thursday, 6-5-2010

Equipment: Sports clothes and shoes, small rucksack, jacket or anorak, rain coat, cap

8:00 Breakfast

9:00 Departure by bus to the Demanda Region

10:00 Visit to the Interpretation Center in Salas de los Infantes

12:30 Visit to Quintanar de la Sierra

14:30 Lunch

16:00 Visit to the Lagunas de Neila

17:00 Visit to the Medieval Graves of Revenga

21:00 Supper

22:00 Evening Programme

Visit to the Music Center “El Hangar”. Live Music

Friday, 7-5-2010:

Equipment: Sports clothes and shoes, small rucksack, jacket or anorak, rain coat, cap

9:00 Breakfast

9:45 Visit to the brewery Cervezas San Miguel

10:00 Tour through the brewery Cervezas San Miguel

12:00 Ride walk through the “Fuentes Blancas” Park

14:00 Lunch in the Restaurant “Fuente Prior”

16:00 Bike ride by the Camino de Santiago through the city of Burgos

Itinerary: Antigua – Calzadas – San Lesmes - San Juan – La Flora – Catedral – Plaza Mayor – Espolón – Santa María Arch – La Isla – San Amaro – Hospital del Rey

20:00 Return the bicycles to the Burgos Young Space

21:00 Supper

22:00 Evening Programme:

Saturday, 8-5-2010:

7:30 Breakfast

8:00 Farewell

8:00 Departure to Madrid to return to the different countries

Comenius Meeting in Tirol (Austria)

2010-01-15T20:01:00.002+01:00

Program

Comenius Project “National parks and protected areas“

Matrei in Osttirol, Austria

Mo, September 28 – Sa, October 2, 2009

Monday

Check in at hotel

19:00 Dinner

General information

Tuesday

7:30 Breakfast

8:30 Departure by bus to Virgen

Taxi to Wetterkreuz and hike to Zuppalseehütte – Speikboden – Donnerstein – Zuppalseehütte (a few hours) in the company of a national park ranger.

We’ll spend the night on the hut.

Wednesday

7:30 Breakfast

8:30 Hike back down into the valley

Guided tour through “Virgener Feldflur-Weg der Sinne”

Visit to the church of Obermauern (a highlight from the gothic period).

Back to Matrei by bus.

Teacher meeting.

18:00 Dinner at the hotel

19:00 Official reception at “Kessler Stadl”

Open end

Thursday

7:30 Breakfast

8.30 By bus to Matreier Tauernhaus.

A somewhat longer hike (guided tour) towards the glacier -

“Gletscherrundweg Innergschlöss”.

Back to the hotel by bus.

18:30 Dinner at the hotel

19:30 Student presentations

Friday

7:30 Breakfast

8:30 By bus to Mittersill/Salzburg; visit of the national park centre.

After lunch by bus back to Matrei - Prägraten.

Hike to Pebell-Alm and roundtour “Umbal-waterfalls”.

Dinner at the hotel

Saturday

7:30 Breakfast

Farewell and have a nice trip back home!

Comenius Meeting in Austrian newspaper

2010-01-07T22:25:00.002+01:00

Comenius Meeting in Finish newspaper

2010-01-07T22:16:00.008+01:00

Reports from the project week in Matrei-Austria

2009-11-25T12:11:00.003+01:00

September 28 - October 3, 2009

Monday/Tuesday: hiking tour Zupalseehütte

Towards the evening of our first day in Matrei all the teams from the other participating countries finally arrived and we got a lot of information for the following week. On Tuesday morning we took the bus to Virgen where we met our rangers, Andreas and Rosa. With two taxis we drove up a steep mountain road to the Wetterkreuz-hut where we had a great view down into the valley and the surrounding mountains. From there we hiked up to the Zupalseehütte where we arrived about an hour and a half later. After a short break we continued. This time the path was more difficult and it led us up to the “Donnerstein”. There was a steep slope down on the other side and when one backback started to roll down. Our ranger climbed down all the way and brought it back up. The path followed the ridge to the “Speikboden”, a mountain with a huge cross on top of it. Again we enjoyed the amazing view and made a lot of pictures. After four hours we reached the Zupalseehütte again. After the dinner we went outside and the Finnish boy Antti played with us a game where we had to remember all the names of the group in combination with an animal.

Christian Pair

Wednesday: Virgen – path of the senses; Kesslerstadl

On Wednesday we falked or drove down into the valley again. There we got a guided tour through the “Path of the Senses” in the fields below Virgen. In the evening there was a nice reception in the “Kessler-Stadl”. This is an old traditional building in Matrei in Osttirol. There we saw some interesting presentations about the National Parks and protected areas in Finland, Spain, Czech Republic, Germany and of course also of those in Austria. We also watched a short film and listened to the presentation of the Ranger. In this presentation we learnt a lot about the typical animals, plants, mountains and especially about the glaciers. Before and afterwards five nice girls from the secondary school of Matrei played wonderful pieces of traditional Austrian folk music. Their instruments were a guitar, a “Hackbrett” and Violins.

The evening ended with a loud surprise. Some masked young men – the “Klaubaufs” - ran into the room. They represent a traditional custom of this region on the days around Santa Claus, which is on December 5. The masked figures were shouting and jumping around with loud bells on their backs. All in all it was a great evening.

Sebastian Schurl

Thursday: A hike up to the glacier

On Thursday morning we drove with the bus into the Tauern-valley. From there a man brought us with a tractor-train to the Innergschlöss hut, where we started on trail up to the glacier. The way was very steep with lots of steps. Later we came to a little lake where we made a break for about half an hour. Most of us took beautiful pictures of the pleasant view into the valley and towards the glacier. In the background we could see the Großvenediger. When we went on, we came to a big field of rocks, which was grinded by the glacier. After another 15 minutes of walking we reached the glacier. When we stood in front of it, we were all fascinated by its size. We also walked up a few meters on the ice. Then we went the same way back down to the Innergschlöss hut. There the group made the second break. Some of us had coffee and cake. Later on we drove back to our hotel. For most of us it was quite exhausting but also a great experience.

Christoph Rauch

Friday: Visit of the “national park-worlds” in Mittersill; Umbal waterfalls

On Friday, the last day of our project week, we went by bus to the „Nationalpark-Welten“ in Mittersill. In front of this natural museum there were some different pieces of rock-art. The walls beside the entrance were made of crystals, probably from Swarovski. Inside we waited in a big hall and then we went into the museum. At first there was a big model of the Großglockner and the Großvenediger. Then downstairs were some animals of the National park, for example, the Capricorn or the chamoix. Next there was a big room for the alpine pasture. The walls were painted like the grass from the mountains. There were also some couches with loudspeakers where you could hear the sound of the cows and their bells. We also went to a 3D-cinema, which was close to the room of the alpine pasture. In the film there was a fantastic presentation of the glacial periods in the Alps. In the last room there was a big, cold ice stone and another cinema-room, where you could see an avalanche rushing down from the mountain.

All in the museum was really interesting, especially for those people who came from countries with a very different landscape or climate.

Fabian Windisch

Matrei Meeting Photos

2009-11-16T16:34:00.012+01:00

Comenius Meeting in Matrei Osttirol (Austria) from September 28th to October 3rd

You can visit the photograph albums from the Matrei Comenius Meeting
Here there's a selection of all the Comenius Teachers' photographs.
Hope you enjoy watching and remembring those wanderful days in the Hohe Tauern National Park
Click on the activity name you want to watch.

01- Welcom e meeting and week activity programm
02- Photos from Matrei Osttirol (Austria)
03-From Virgen to Wetterkreuz Hütte
04- From Wetterkreuz to Zuppalsee Hütte
05- From th e Zuppalsee to Speikboden Mountain
06- From Spikboden to Donnerstein Mountain
07- From the Zuppalsee Hütte to Virgen
08- Visit to V irgen and Obermauern
09- From Venediger Haus to Salzbodensee
10- From Salzb odensee to Auge Gottes (God's Eye)
11- From Auge Gottes to the Glacier
12.- Glacier Gletscherrundenweg Innergschlöss
13- Back from Glacier to Gasthaus Venediger
14- Visit to the Hohe Tauern National Park Centre in Mittersill
15-From Prägraten to Umbal Waterfalls
16- Matrei-Osttirol Hotel & travels

Project Meeting in Matrei-Osttirol (Austria)

2009-11-16T16:28:00.008+01:00

You can see the summary in a Power Point Presentation about the Project activities from the Meeeting in Matrei (Osttirol-Austria) in Octuber 2009 .
In this photograph you can see all the Comenius Group in the Hohe Tauern National Park

Click HERE to see the Presentation of this Meeting

2009-10-26T08:13:00.031+01:00

Frequently Asked Questions about Natural Areas and National Parks

Next questions are a memory about meeting that we have had during comenius proyect. It´s not an exam. We want to value through some questions that our studients express their opinion about the Natural Park visited.

1.- In Germany, the Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald was founded in 1970. The Krkonose National Park, Czech Republic, was proclaimed in 1963; the Pyhä-Häkki National Park, in Finland, was proclaimed in 1956 and Sierrra de la Demanda, in Spain, was established in 1990. But do you know which is oldest National Park in your country?

Your answer is .......................................................................................................

questionnaire

Suolahti Presentation

2009-09-03T13:11:00.007+02:00

The first week of May 2009 the teachers involved in the project with four students for every country were in Suolahti (Finland) to have a Project Meeting.
Click HERE to see the activities we did in Central Finland

Suolahti Meeting Photos

2009-07-15T13:46:00.012+02:00

You can visit the photograph albums from the Suolahti Meeting in May 2009
I have used photos from Joe, Wolfgang, Luis, Armando, Vesa and Heribert
. . . . . . . . . . . . (I haven't got Lubos' photos, yet) . . . . . . . . . .

Click on the activity name you want to watch.

01.- Welcome at the Keski Suomen Opisto
02- Keski Suomen Opisto buildings
03- Informations for the camp
04- Camp-Sumiainen
05- Private nature trail Luontoloma Lepänjuuri
06- Sauna Camp-Sumiainen
07- Pyhä-Häkki National Park
08- Rest at Pyhä-Häkki

09- Parks and Schools presentations
10- Blog informations
11- Rafting Kapeenkoski
12- Rest at Kapeenkoski hut
13- Visit to the city of Jyvaskyla
14- Projectwork and dinner in Vesa's house
15- Multinational Football match
16- Farewell-Party
17- Farewell-Party (only teachers)
18- Visit to Helsinki
19- Trips photos
20- Plants & rocks

Presentation in Project Meetings

2009-07-13T19:45:00.007+02:00

During the visits to Osterhofen and Suolahti, every school has explained with Power Point presentations the National Parks and Protected Area from each country and some informations about the school and the Educational System.
You can see the presentations clicking in the following names:
In OSTERHOFEN (Germany):

In SUOLAHTI (Finland):

In MATREI (Osttirol-Austria):

PROJECT SCHOOLS

2009-07-06T10:35:00.006+02:00

The presentation in Power Point that you can see if you click HERE, show the Schools, Countries and Regions of the Comenius School Asociation Project.

Finland report by Catharina Oestreich

2009-06-22T18:17:00.003+02:00

Hi folks,
first: We have survived 6 days in Finland. We are all well!
For me and Wanda the flight was something very special because it was the first time we flew! It was fantastic!
But then we had to carry suitcases to the bus, then board the train and finally ride a long time on a bus, after that day we were all very exhausted!
On Tuesday, we went to the Wilderness Camp after lunch, some of us were at their limits! I also!!!!!
It was all very exhausting, but then the redemption came: Smoke saunas! It was really good to relax!
During the night it was disastrous: in the tent was an oven which initially was also very hot. Unfortunately it died down at 2 o`clock in the morning and it was very cold in the tent, we were nearly frozen to death!
Love, Catharina Oestreich, 9b
(photo by Heribert Demel, translated and published by Thomas Thaller)

Osterhofen Presentation

2009-06-20T13:44:00.008+02:00

The first Project meeting in Ostehofen was in October 2008. Eight teachers from the 5 schools took part in this Coordination Meeting.Click here to see the summary of the activities in a Power Point Presentation.

Comenius in the newspapers

2009-06-11T12:24:00.012+02:00

The fist year of the Project, we have visited two countries, Germany and Finland
Here you can see the reports of the German and Finnish press, clicking in the links:

Osterhofen Volksschule (Germany)
Danube-Main-Rhin Channel (Germany)

Pyhä Häkki National Park (Finland)

Osterhofen presentation

2009-04-28T08:53:00.011+02:00

To see the presentation from Osterhofen Hauptschule click HERE

------ Thanks to Sylvia and Thomas for this good work ------

Meeting in Suolahti May 2009

2009-04-25T09:10:00.000+02:00

Keski-Suomen Opisto, Suolahti, Äänekoski 2009
from Monday 4th May to Saturday 9th May

Programme

Monday, 4th May 2009:

Arrival and accommodation.
Participants will be collected from Jyväskylä Travel Centre (Buss and Railway Station) to Suolahti.
Students in T-building, in rooms for two persons.
Teachers in M-building, in rooms for two persons.

There may be some programme depending on arriving-times:
11.30-12.30 Lunch
12.30-16.00 Free time / Activities organised by KSO-students / Preparing, equipment checking
16.00-16.30 Dinner
16.30- Free time / Activities...

ca. 20.00- Supper and welcoming party, P-building
Information about the week-programme, security instruction for the Wilderness Camp.
Short introduction, 5-10 min each, of every country/school (power point, posters…)

Tuesday, 5th May 2009:

7.45- 8.30 Breakfast
9.00-10.00 Official welcome, representants of Keski-Suomen Opisto and the City of Äänekoski
10.00- Preparing and equipment distribution/checking for the camp
11.30-12.30 Lunch
12.30 Departure to Sumiainen Wilderness Camp (ca. 20 km northeast from Opisto))
Day and evening programme in Wilderness Camp:
o Accommodation (building up the army-tents, firewood, water, security)
o Guidance to the private nature trail of Luontoloma Lepänjuuri.
o Dinner
o Activities in camp and forest, sauna/smokesauna
o Supper
o Sleeping: tents with stove/heater, wooden shelters/shelters

Equipment / outdoor camp in Sumiainen: Rucksack/bag, sleeping bag, sleeping mat (mat from Opisto!), outerwear suitable for outdoors, warm underwear, raincoat, warm extra clothing, scarf, cap/hat, gloves/mittens, trekking boots / rubber boots, sun protection(if needed,☺), own medicines, personal hygiene equipment, swimming costume(?), towel. (Cutlery, plate and mug from Opisto!)

Wednesday, 6th may 2009:

Good morning in the Wilderness Camp.
Programme in Wilderness Camp:
o Breakfast
o Undoing the camp, packing equipment
ca. 10.00- Departure from Camp to Opisto,
Equipment aftercare, shower, resting…
11.30-12.30 Lunch (and make packed lunch to Jyväskylä trip)
12.30 Departure to Jyväskylä (ca. 45 km south from Opisto)
City tour in English, free time in the City of Jyväskylä
ca. 18 Students: departure from Jyväskylä to Opisto
o Supper in Opisto, program/activities organised by students
Teachers: departure from City to Palokka (Vesa)
o Supper, sauna
o Project work (3rd meeting in Jenbach, report 2008-2009)
o Back to Opisto

Equipment / City of Jyväskylä: Packed lunch, small rucksack, costume suitable to the weather to spend some hours in the City of Jyväskylä (museums, shops, maybe parks and/or harbour?, sun protection/raincoat? ...)
Teachers: Sauna-equipment (not towels) and Project work papers, too.

Thursday, 7th may 2009:

7.45- 8.30 Breakfast
8.30-10.30 Presentations: Topic 1, A National Park from each country (ca. 25 min each)
10.30-11.30 Preparing for evening trip to National Park / free time
11.30-12.30 Lunch (and make packed lunch to National Park trip)
12.30 Departure to Pyhä-Häkki National Park (ca. 70 km northwest from Opisto)
Guidance of National Park in English. A walk through the park paths (old forest, swamp). Campfire and snack.
Evening Departure from Pyhä-Häkki to Opisto.
Supper, free time, recreation, sauna (+ teachers: project work)

Equipment / Pyhä-Häkki National Park: Packed lunch, small rucksack, trekking boots or good sport shoes (or rubber boots?), jacket or anorak / outerwear suitable for weather conditions and warm underwear/spare clothing (may be +20 sunny, or +4 cloudy/rainy/windy), raincoat or sun protection, cap/hat, gloves/mittens.

Friday, 8th May 2009:

7.45- 8.30 Breakfast
8.30- Preparing for evening trip, information and security instruction
Free time, resting, recreation,
11.00- Lunch (and make packed lunch to Kapeenkoski trip)
11.30 Departure to Kapeenkoski rapids, Natura-2000 protected area (8 km from Opisto)
Guidance of Kapeenkoski, activities besides the river, white water rafting.
Snack/packed lunch.
16.00 Departure from Kapeenkoski to Opisto.
16.15- Dinner at Opisto
Resting, packing…
ca. 19.00- Farewellsupper and –party, Auditorium-hall and Auditorium.

Equipment / Kapeenkoski: Packed lunch, small rucksack, trekking boots or good sport shoes (or rubber boots?), jacket or anorak / outwear suitable for weather conditions, raincoat or sun protection, cap/hat, gloves/mittens.
AND: Spare shoes, outwear, underwear and warm clothes to change if you get wet.

Saturday, 9th May 2009:

7.45- 8.30 Breakfast

Farewells, Departure to Jyväskylä to different countries

Logos from Austria

2009-04-22T13:20:00.008+02:00

These are the logos that have designed the Austrian students for the project

Logo 1

Logo 2

That's Burgos

2009-04-18T15:40:00.008+02:00

A photographic visit to the city of Burgos

MARSH ECOSYSTEM

2009-04-17T20:28:00.005+02:00

Summary: The Marsh ecosystems of Castilla y León (Spain).

Natural Areas: Lagunas de Villafáfila ; La Nava y Campos de Palencia.

Marshes are transitional areas between land and water, ocurring along the intertidal shore of swamp where salinity (salt content) ranges from near ocean strengh to near fresh water. Salinity, frecuency and extent of flooding of the marsh determine the types of plants and animal found there. The low marsh zone flooding always has water while the high marsh floods only during the winter. Animals and plants that live in these zone of the marsh, depend on how well they can withstand the drier conditions of the upper marsh or the wet conditions that occur in the lower marsh. As a result of this, in the marsh we can to see four vegetation rings: meadows, wetland plant, floating-leaf plant species and submergent plant species. Each ring has its own fauna.
For example, one plant, Common Reed Grass (Phagmites australis) dominates wetland vegetation. Few animal eat this plants, but many animal and plants live on it or the marsh surface protected by its roots and stalks.
Salt marshes rank among the most productive ecosystems on earth. Live Common Reed Grass is not a source of food but dead marsh plants are a source of nourishment for many species. Decaying Common Reed Grass breaks into small pieces called detritus that fuels the marsh and its animals. In spring and summer, marshes are lush green, highly productive and grow in height. In late fall, the green Common Reed Grass begins to turn brown as leaves die and decomposition begins. Water, waves, wind and storms dislodge and break up decaying leaves, and transport them to mud flats and other locations around the marsh. This dead plant matter, or detritus, forms an attachment site for microscopic organisms such as bacteria, fungi and small algae. These organisms colonize the broken bits of plant material and break down portions of the detritus that are not digestible by animals.
For the most part, this decomposition occurs on or in the sediments where bottom-dwelling scavengers such as worms, fishes, shrimps and crabs live. These animals eat the decaying plant material, along with the bacteria, fungi and attached organisms. They then digest the material and excrete the undigested plant remains in feces that can be colonized again by microorganisms. As the microorganisms utilize detritus and reduce it to smaller and smaller pieces, the remaining detritus becomes fertilizer for the next Common Reed Grass crop. In this way, the whole food web cycle is repeated.
Microscopic animals associated with detritus also cover the surface of mud in the marsh. They help stabilize sediments, are food for larger organisms and contribute to an enrichment of the sediments. Large numbers of more sizable invertebrates (animals without backbones) inhabit salt marshes. Rapid changes in salinity, temperature and exposure create stressful conditions and thereby limit how many species occur in this habitat. Fiddler crabs, marsh snails and marsh mussels are typical invertebrate species which live in salt marshes. The popular and highly prized oyster generally borders salt marshes. Fiddler crabs and marsh snails shred dead plant material during feeding, aiding the decomposition process.
Insects are also abundant in the salt marsh. Most of these salt marsh invertebrates consume living plants, or fluids secreted by the plants. Some insects also feed on detritus, though the importance of their role in the food web as grazers and detritus feeders is small compared to their importance to the abundant species of birds who depend on them for food. The undigested grass eaten by insects is deposited as feces on the marsh surface where it becomes part of the detrital food web. Many fish species living near the salt marsh rely on insects for food during part of the year.
Fishes, crabs, and shrimps live in salt marshes where stems, leaves, and roots provide food and shelter from predators. The young of many species, such as the blue crab, white shrimp and spot tail bass utilize the salt marsh as a nursery. Without benefit of an abundance of food and protection given by marsh plants, few younger animals would survive to adulthood.
The regularly flooded salt marshes provide excellent habitat for birds, with many places for feeding, reproducing and roosting. Some bird species alternately eat insects and seeds depending on the season. Other birds feed on fishes, shrimps and fiddler crabs. The commonly heard but seldom seen clapper rail forms roosting areas on the marsh surface within the protective cover of marsh grass. Birds contribute important nutrients to the salt marshes through their feces, which accumulate in large quantities around nesting colonies. In turn, feces fertilize marsh grass, an important function in the marsh food web.
In this unit, our students will work recognizing bird that live in the marsh of Castilla y León. For this, they will learn the external anatomy of the birds with feather type. Morover, they will learn to speak about the habits of these animals, such as reproduction and food.

Multilingual Dictionary

2009-03-04T14:09:00.033+01:00

Multilingual Dictionary of animals and plants from Natural Park

Rules to do a index card

(1) Photograph and distribution

(2) Scientific name: Marmota marmota

(3) Vulgar name:

English: Marmot

Czech: Marmotts

Finnish:Murmeli

German: Mulmertier

Spanish: Marmota

(4) notes about animal or plant life

(5) all in format .doc or .pdf no use zip

Search in multilingual dictionary

FLUVIAL ECOSYSTEM

2009-01-27T12:13:00.008+01:00

Summary: The Fluvial ecosystems of Castilla y León (Spain).

Natural areas: Riberas de Castronuño y Arribes del Duero.

A main principle of ecology is that each living organism has an ongoing and continual relationship with every other element that makes up its environment. The sum total of interacting living organisms (the biocenosis) and their non-living environment (the biotope) in an area is termed an ecosystem.
In an ecosystem, the connections between species are generally related to their role in the food chain. There are three categories of organisms:
Producers or Autotrophs, usually plants that are capable of photosynthesis.
Consumers or Heterotrophs, animals which can be primary consumers (herbivorous), or secondary or tertiary consumers (carnivorous and omnivores)
Descomposers or Detritivores, bacteria, fungi and insects which degrade organic matter of all types and restore nutrients to the environment. The producers will then consume the nutrients, completing the cycle.
These relations form sequences, in which each individual consumes the preceding one and is consumed by the one following, which are called food chains or food networks. In food networks, there will be fewer organisms at each level as one follows the links of the network up the chain, forming an ecological pyramid.

Ecosystems can be roughly divided into terrestrial ecosystems (including forest ecosystems, bush ecosystems, steppes, meadows and so on) and freshwater ecosystems (lakes, ponds and rivers).

In this unit and the next units, our students will work on of the biocenosis or community (groups of populations of plants and animals) that make up the ecological pyramid of different ecosystems of Castilla y León.

This chapter provides an overview of the diversity of fauna and flora in the rivers and streams of Castilla y León. We will talk about the food chain in the rivers of Castilla y León, starting with the river flora, trees and plankton of the water and continue with the fish and the other animals ( birds and mammals) that eat them.

THE CLIMATE

2009-01-27T12:11:00.003+01:00

Summary:The Climate of Castilla y Leon
The presence or absence of vegetation and its different characteristics is the main feature that distinguishes different natural landscapes. In general, climate elements like temperature and precipitation favors or hinders the development of vegetation.
There are three climatic zones in Castilla y León:
(1) The Oceanic or Atlantic climate is found mostly on the northern mountain range of Castilla y León. This climate is characterised by mild temperatures. The temperatures are always temperate due to the proximity of the sea: winters are cool and summers are warm. The rainfall is greater than 800 mm per year, especially in mountain areas and it is evenly distributed thoughout the year, although there is slightly less in summer time. The rivers of this region have high and regular water levels. They higher water levels is in spring because of the thaw. This is the case, for example, of the Esla. As a consequence of the climate, vegetation is abundant and always green. It is formed by meadows, deciduos forest (beeches, oaks and chestnut trees) and heaths.
(2) A continental Mediterranean climate prevails in centre and southern of Castilla y León. The temperatures are extreme: very hot in the summer and very cold in winter. The rainfall is scarce especially in summer and it is concentrated in spring and autumn. During the winter, it is usually in form of snow. In general, rainfall is below 800 mm per year, except in the mountain areas. As consequence, rivers have an irregular regime: in summer there is hardly any water, while in the swell season they can cause serious floods. Some of the most important rivers are Tormes and Águeda. Because of the climate, the trees and the bushes are evergreen. The main trees are holm oaks and cork oaks. There are brushwoods and steppe areas except in the mountain.
(3) Hight mountain climate, in general, is cold and damp. Temperatures are very low in winter and milder in summer. Precipitations are abundant all the years found, and in winter they frequently fall as snow. This climate is present in Cordillera Cantabrica, Sierras de la Demanda, Guadarrama, Gredos y Gata. In mountain environments, temperatures drop as altitude increases ( 0,6º C per 100 m), while rains increase. The result is the terracing of vegetation. The differents levels of vegetation are: in the below part, Mediterranean forest; in the middle part, Atlantic forest and in the upper part, meadows nearly to the summit.

In this unit, our students have to be able to make a climate diagram using temperatures and precipitations from certain place. Moreover, they have to able to analyse a climate diagram and say what is average temperature, if rainfall is abundant, medium or scarce and at the end, if climate diagram belong to Atlantic climate, continental Mediterranean climate or High mountain climate.

NATURAL AREAS NETWORK

2009-01-27T11:53:00.004+01:00

Summary: Natural areas network of Castilla y Leon
Castilla y León boasts some of richest natural heritage in Europe. It hosts a great variety of landscapes and ecosystems, from high mountain peaks to vast plains, wild, dense forest and breathtaking river canyons. They are all habitat for a multitude of animals and plants, and provide an ultimate refuge for many threatened species. As a result, Castilla y León has a degree of biological diversity that is very hard to find elsewhere in Europe.
To make sure that this ample heritage is properly conserved, the Natural Areas Network of Castilla y León (REN) was set up in 1991. It now comprises 21 areas, protected for their ecological, geological and landscape values. This way of safeguarding nature takes a comprehensive approach to the land to prevent the natural areas becoming separate isolated tracts of land and to link up the REN with Natura 2000. Castilla y León accounts for almost 2.5 million hectares of land (26% of the region´s total surface area) in the European Union network of protected areas.
What is a protected natural area? It is a territory with special natural values that must be preserved by means of sustainable development models. An area is invested with the status of Protected Natural Area in order to conserve both its natural heritage and traditional uses, such as culture and folklore that have shaped that patrimony. Involving local people in maintaining the area, improving their quality of live and, in short, ensuring sustainable use of natural resources, will help to preserve it for future generations.

- The protection categories of The Natural Areas Network of Castilla y León are:
- National Park: Picos de Europa. (León)
- Regional Park: Sierra de Gredos (Avila)
- Natural Reserve: Lago de Sanabria (Zamora); Cañon del río Lobos (Burgos-Soria); Hoces del Duratón (Segovia); Hoces del Riaza (Segovia); Arribes del Duero (Salamanca y Zamora); Fuente Carriona y Fuente el Cobre (Palencia); Las Batuecas y Sierra de Francia (Salamanca); Montes Obarenes – San Zadornil (Burgos).
- Natural Monument: Monumento Natural Lago de la Baña (León); Monumento Natural Lago de Truchillas (León); Monumento Natural de Monte Santiago (Burgos); Monumento Natural de Ojo Guareña (Burgos); Monumento Natural de la Fuentona (Soria); Monumento Natural Las Medulas (León)
- Natural areas:Sierra de la Demanda (Burgos); Sierra de Ancares (León); Candelario (Salamanca); Sierra de Urbión (Soria); Pinar de Hoyocasero (Avila); Hayedo de Riofrio de Riaza (Segovia); Covalagua (Burgos); Las Tuerces (Palencia); La Yecla (Burgos); Valle de San Emiliano (León); El Rebollar (Salamanca); Sierra de la Culebra (Zamora); Quilamas (Salamanca); Hoces del alto Ebro y Rudrón (Burgos);. Laguna de la Nava (Palencia).

In this unit our students are going to learn about Natural Areas in Castilla y León. With this purpose, they will begin to make index cards, where they will write information about the location, the geography, the lithology, the geomorphology, the climatology, the diversity of vegetation and fauna of natural parks. Moreover, those index cards will have information about villages locates in those Natural Areas and their main economic resources. At the end, they will make a section that list the main threats affecting natural parks.

Logos from Osterhofen

2008-12-09T18:25:00.007+01:00

Logos für das Comenius-Projekt der HS Osterhofen Vorschläge

Catharina Oestreich, 9b Lisa Stumhofer, 9b

Michael Müller,8a Karl Gundermann, Lehrer

THE GEOMORFOLOGY

2008-11-21T11:11:00.006+01:00

Summary: The geomorpology of Castilla y Leon
In Castilla y León there are different type of landforms. The relief of Castilla y León is dominated by a great Plateau or Tableland (Meseta). This Plateau around the River Duero, it is surround by the mountains of the Cantabrian Range to the north, the Iberian System eastwards and the Central System to the south, while to the west, lesser mountain ranges, such as the Montes de León and the sierras of La Cabrera, Segundera and La Culebra, together with awesome river canyons of the Arribes del Duero area (natural border with Portugal) comprise the regional perimeter. The layout of geographical features has given rise to two mayor kinds of landscape:
- The vast plains and steppes (páramos) on the Tableland of the Duero River. With a high average altitude of 800 metres, the Duero Tableland covers most of the drainage basin of this great river and hosts some of most classic Castilian landscape. The fluvial morphology is conditioned by the lithological variety of Peleozoic bedrock by Hercynian and Alpine Tectonic influence and Quaternary evolution area. E. g., in the eastern half of the region, several of Duero´s tributaries have caved out deep canyons and ravines in the limestone steppes. To the west, right on the border with Portugal, the Duero and several of its tributaries have forced a passage through the granite known as “Arrives”. Along the course of the River Duero there are lakes like Villafafila and Nava lakes.
- The mountain that it surround the Plateau are: The Central System are located to the south. The granite and gneiss are the predominant rock in the Central System as a whole. In a few sections there are unmistakable signs of Quaternary glacial action. The cirques and glacial lagoons are particulary interesting as they are the most southerly in Europe. The highest peak is Almanzor (2592m) in the Gredos Mountains.
The Iberian System in the east. This massif display numerous examples of glacial erosion, with cirques, lakes, morraines and U-shaped valleys. Also typical of this region the limestones steppe furrowed by rivers ravines and canyons. Its main peak is Moncayo (2313m)
The Cantabrian Range, in the north and León Mountains in the Northwest, isolates the Plateau from influence of the sea. The eastern Cantabrian Range had -Los Picos de Europa- where limestone erosion has given rise to spectacular relief, caves, underground and springs. The western Cantabrian Range had – La Segundera and Cabrera ranges- the landscape, still bears the marks of last Quateranry glaciaton, e.g. lakes like Sanabria, Truchillas and La Baña and U-shaped valleys gouged out by tongues of ice. Torre de Cerredo, in the Picos de Europa, is the highest summit (2648m).

In this unit our students have got to can tell one landscape from another using fotographs.

THE RELIEF

2008-11-21T11:00:00.012+01:00

Summary: The relief of Castilla y León
The scenery is a characteristic element from natural parks. Wild life is different in a plain site that in a mountain site. So, this activity is trying to achieve that our students learn to note landforms. First, we learn a basic vocabulary near to features found on the earth´s surface. In second place, we use map without name where our students learn to locate mountains, rivers and regions in Castilla y León. Then, we teach to use them topography map: contour lines, elevation change per line, gradient (slope) and two types of scales: fractional scale and a linear (bar) scales. To finish, we teach to download maps from Spanish Geography Survey Website; we teach to produce a topography map and at last, we teach to make a Natural Area Demanda Mountain model using a topographic map.

THE LITHOLOGY

2008-11-21T11:00:00.010+01:00

Summary: The lithology of Castilla y León.
In this unit, we learn the lithology of Castilla y León. The lithology is the branch of geology that studies the mineral composition and rocks structure , especially at the macroscopy level, in terms of their colour, texture and composition. Castilla y León has got a wide variety of rocks. Our target are than our student:
First, they will know differentiate types of rocks.
Second, they will know geology history of Castilla y León, so they could know why there are different rocks in the same site.
Third, they will learn to connect the different types of rocks with geological process that make the relief change. Where now are mountains, millions of years ago there were plains and vice- verse. Lands that are now on the surface of sea were previously submerged under the oceans.
In the activities our student have to describe different types of rocks of Castilla y León, so they will carry out research into high school rocks collection (look photograph). They will read the geological history of Castilla y León and after, they will answer the questions included in the text. At last, they will make a geological map of our community over transparent paper. This map could put on top relief map. Then, they will see connection between rocks and relief.

Comenius Project "Regional Sports"

2008-11-07T12:34:00.012+01:00

The teachers involved in this project "Protected Areas and National Parks in Europe" were working in a previous Comenius Project named "Regional Sports".
If you want to have some information about the activities we did in that project, you can visit the Power Point presentation about the meetings we held during the three years of the project.

To see the Burgos (Castilla y León-Spain) meeting click HERE
To see the Jenbach (Tirol-Austria) meeting 1 click HERE
To see the Holice (Pardubice-Check Rep.) meeting click HERE
To see the Teisnach (Bayern- Germany) meeting click HERE
To see the Suolhati (Central Finland) meeting click HERE
To see the Jenbach (Tirol-Austria) meeting 2 click HERE

Label Contents

2008-11-04T11:42:00.008+01:00

We will use this label to talk about the flora and the fauna that we can find in the protected areas chosen in every country, and the species in danger of extinction

The label will contain the images and videos we can get about each kind of species or about the different landscapes.

It will include also a dictionary with the names of animals, plants and landscape caracteristics in English and in the four languages that the countries of the project speak.

Esta etiqueta tratará de la flora y fauna que se encuentra en las áreas protegidas trabajadas en cada país así como de las especies en peligro de extinción.

Contendrá las imagenes o vídeos que se disponga de cada especie o paisaje tratado

Ademas incluirá un diccionario con los nombres de los animales, plantas y características del relieve en inglés y en los cuatro idiomas de los paises que intervienen en el proyecto.

Comenius meeting in Deggendorf

2008-10-24T10:57:00.005+02:00

Protected Areas and National Parks in Europe

Deggendorf (from Sunday 5th October to Friday 10 th October 2008)

Programme

Sunday, 5th October 2008:

Arrival day:
Participants will be taken to their accommodation “Hotel Höttl in Deggendorf

Free time, relaxation
19.00 Short walk around Deggendorf
20.00 Supper at the hotel or in town
21.00 Evening Programme
Information about the programme

Monday, 6th October 2008:

8.00 Breakfast
9.00 Departure from Deggendorf to the school in Osterhofen
9.30 Guide tour through the school
Snack
Official welcome at the school (each country have to talk about their school system
and their national park- about 10-15 minutes- you can use transperancies or power-
point- we have a note-book and beamer- whatever you need)
There are my colleagues, the headmaster, one from the school- board, the mayor of
Osterhofen.
13.00 Lunch at school
15.00 Meeting point (Infohaus Isarmündung)
We have guidance along the river Isar and Donau (part of the nature park), also
with some colleagues in English
17.00 Beergarden
18.00 Departure to Deggendorf
19.00 Supper in Deggendorf
20.00 Project work

Equipment: Trekking boots or good sports shoes , small rucksack, jacket or anorak,
rain coat, cap.

Tuesday, 7th October 2008:

7.30 Breakfast
8.00 Departure to Passau (the city of the rivers: Danube, Inn and Ilz)
9.30 Meeting point at the cathedral
City tour in English for two hours
12.00 Lunch
13.00 Boat trip around the three rivers
14.30 Hiking in the value of the river Ilz (nature park)
19.00 Supper in Osterhofen
20.00 – 22.00 Bowling in Osterhofen with my colleagues

Wednesday, 8th October 2008:

7.30 Breakfast
8.00 Departure to the National Park of the Bavarian Forest
10.00 Meeting point, guidance through the park in English, the wild animals part is
included
13.00 Lunch in the National Park
14.00 Visit of the Eisemannhouse in the National Park (Information Centre)
17.00 Departure to Deggendorf
19.00 Supper in Deggendorf (at my house)
20.00 Project work

Thursday, 9th October 2008:

8.00 Breakfast
9.00 Meeting point in Riedenburg –Altmühltal
Guidance in English through the valley of the Altmühl (nature park) and also the
problems with the Rhine-Main-Danube canal
13.00 Departure to Regensburg to lunch
14.00 Visit to this middle age city with a gothic cathedral
16.00 Departure to Osterhofen
19.00 Farewellsupper (or party) with my colleagues in Osterhofen

Friday, 10th October 2008:

7.30 Breakfast
8.30 Departure to Munich to the different countries

Meeting in Osterhofen (Germany)

2008-10-22T13:25:00.015+02:00

Coordination Meeting in Osterhofen (Alemania)

From October 5th to the 10th, the school partners on the Comenius Project "Protected areas and National Parks in Europe" held the first meeting in Osterhofen (Germany). Teachers from the five countries that are involved in this european project (Spain, Austria, Check Republic, Finland and Germany) took part in this coordination meeting.

Coordinationg teachers from every partner country with the Osterhofen School headmaster and the mayor of Osterhofen at the school hall.

Armando López y Luis Vidal de Benito are the teachers involved in the proyect from the I.E.S. Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente of Burgos (Spain)

To see more photographs from the Osterhofen meeting click on the next lines:

Welcome Photographs and Photographs from The Isar Delta, Donau Diner and Pasau

Photographs from Pasau Cathedral, Iltz river, Bavarian Forest and Donau-Rhin Channel

Photographs from Regensburg, Deggendorf and Farewell

Meeting in Osterhofen (Germany)

2008-10-20T13:21:00.003+02:00

"Dobryden“ und "Hyvääpaivää“

Hauptschule beteiligt sich erstmals an Comeniusprojekt„Welcome to Osterhofen“:Heribert Demel (2.v.r), Liane Sedlmeier (stehendv.l.), Monika Mandl-Niekrawitz und Sylvia Fleder begrüßten die europäischen Gäste (sitzend,v.l.) Dr.Karl Graf, Vesa Villanen, Magister Josef Bertsch, Luis de Benito, Lubos Krejcik, Mari Nurminen und Armando Lopez.

SCHOOL PARTNERS

2008-10-20T13:19:00.022+02:00

The schools involved in the Comenius Project "Protected Areas and National Parks in Europe" are:

From SPAIN

I.E.S. Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente, Burgos, Castilla y León

WEB PAGE

From AUSTRIA

HTL Höhere Technische, Jenbach , Tirol

WEB PAGE

From GERMANY

Hauptschule Osterhofen, Bayern, Osterhofen

WEB PAGE

From CHECK REPUBLIC

Stredni prumyslova skola Automobilni , Holice, Pardubice

WEB PAGE

From FINLAND

Keski-Soumen Opisto, Suolahti, Central Finland

WEB PAGE

Comenius Project

2008-10-20T13:06:00.004+02:00

PROTECTED AREAS & NATIONAL PARKS IN EUROPE
The European Project COMENIUS 1 of Schools Partnerships, "PROTECTED AREAS & NATIONAL PARKS IN EUROPE " is a two years long project that involve schools from five european countries (Germany, Finland, Check Republic, Austria and Spain).

The Project aim is to increase the knowledge of and interest in regional, national and European nature reserves among students and the employees of participant schools. Participants will learn about different strategies for the conservation of protected areas. They will find out about their importance for regional, national and global ecosystems and they will also learn about the various dangers these ecosystems are confronted with. During the meetings fieldwork will be done by visiting protected areas and familiarizing with the environment in practice.

In the individual institutions students will collect information about a chosen National Park or other protected area. They will study the special characteristics of that area. They will learn about different educational concepts to promote the idea of nature preservation. And they will – hopefully – become ambassadors for this idea among their fellow youth.

Project Activities

2008-10-20T12:52:00.013+02:00

We will use this label to show the themes we are working on in this Comenius Project

Each institute will produce presentations and materials for the meetings. Four institutes out of five will host meetings in their turn, two with teachers and students, two with teachers only. Communication and information among teachers and as well as students will mainly take place via e-mail and the Project Blog. The participating institutes will collect presentations and other material for end products (CD/DVD), work distribution will take place during the project. The progress reports and final report will be worked on together during the meetings. Intermediate results (video clips, interviews, power-point-presentations) will be developed and completed during the student meetings in spring/autumn 2009. The final result will be compiled and prepared for dissemination during the meeting in spring 2010.

Sierra de la Demanda

2008-10-20T12:51:00.002+02:00

The Sierra de la Demanda is a singular mountain system, which rises to the South-East of the province of Burgos. In the shade of its majestic and almost always snow-covered mountain tops a series of landscape and human elements are combined, making the area into an attractive natural and tourist paradise.
Next to some luxuriant and extensive woods an unending succession of glacier origin lakes are located. Next to the curious sites of marks of dinosaurs and fossil trees one can visit the greatest concentration of necropolis and high-mediaeval hermitages in Europe.
And leading an unrepeatable group of Romanesque porches there are many villages loaded down with a rich popular heritage based on three fundamental pillars: the transhumance of the “merino” sheep, the age-old activity and forest work.

La Sierra de la Demanda es un singular sistema montañoso que se yergue al sureste de la provincia de Burgos. A la sombra de sus majestuosas y casi siempre nevadas cumbres se combinan una serie de elementos paisajísticos y humanos que convierten a la zona en un atrayente paraíso natural y turístico.
Junto a unos frondosos y extensos bosques se localiza una inacabable sucesión de lagunas de origen glaciar. Al lado de curiosos yacimientos de huellas de dinosaurios y árboles fósiles se puede visitar la mayor concentración de necrópolis y eremitorios altomedievales de Europa.
Y frente a un irrepetible conjunto de pórticos románicos se emplazan numerosos pueblos cargados de un rico acervo popular que descansa en tres pilares fundamentales: la trashumancia de las merinas, la secular actividad carretera y el trabajo forestal.