Urban green areas are generally fields of short grass and the technician considers that the solitude of these spaces is not good for biodiversity: “Local vegetation is important because it feeds and houses native fauna.” The inhabitants of the cities are accustomed to gardens in the form of golf courses, but Santamaría has claimed that a green space is more than that: “When we let the plants in the area go out naturally, many find it a ceded place, because it is not as nice and orderly as other gardens.” With this campaign they want to accommodate the indigenous plants of Txoroak, knowing that these green spaces are going to be “as imperfect as nature.”

One of the objectives of the project is, therefore, to preserve the biodiversity of Aranguren, but it is not the only objective: to promote citizen participation is also one of the intentions of the promoters. “Citizens need to be involved and involved in these types of projects, as they will thus bring greater value to the initiative.”

Spread the seeds to plant in the cork

A dozen families have now joined the initiative proposed by the Environment Service in Aranguren. Organizers assign participants a little bird close to home and give them seeds to plant: “We have prepared a mixture of seeds: some give flower and others do not. Some of those who flourish wilt in the heat and re-emerge in the rain. Somehow, the plants will follow the natural cycle they have on the mountain.”

A small poster announcing its membership of the project and making the initiative known to more citizens will be placed on the backs of the participants of the initiative. The idea of planting in Txorkoa is not new, since projects of this kind have been carried out in other cities. Santamaría has pointed out that in Barcelona they already have a similar initiative in place, but there they work even more: in their cork plants are placed that attract fauna to combat the pests of trees in a natural way.