Summary: “Andarríos” is a project of citizen science and environmental education set up in 2007 by the local Andalusian government. Its goal is to raise general public awareness about the “New Culture of Water”, a Spanish campaign aimed to change the way people think and value current water use in the country. In practice, the job is to form a volunteer task group whose members will select a section of river approximately 1 kilometer in length and carry out an environmental assessment of water quality and ecological integrity within that segment of river. The non-profit environmental organization AEA El Bosque Animado has participated in the Andarríos project since 2009 and adopted a section of the Guadalquivir River near The Casillas’ Hydroelectric power plant, in the suburbs of Cordoba. A workshop was organized in order to train volunteers in the various survey protocols: measuring water parameters (temperature, water flow, pH, nitrogen concentration, turbidity); biological quality (sample of macroinvertebrates) and qualitative data describing the state of conservation of the riverbank and riparian woodland. The team of volunteers performed 4 sampling days, one in each season, to obtain an appropriate amount of data for the final assessment: Water flow was much lower in early winter than in summer and there was high turbidity associated with poor macroinvertebrate populations. In this transect, riparian woodland stands are strongly degraded. These conclusions were no surprise since the Guadalquivir is a well known river. The results were influenced strongly by its function as a major water transport “canal” for agricultural purposes and well studied, advanced erosion in the catchment area. All this information was transmitted to the program direction, which organized a meeting to present the 2009 results for Andalusia with the participation of more than 100 local groups.

(Irene de Gabriel Ruiz)

Summary: For a long time, it has been acknowledged by conservationists, that birds are currently the most important vertebrates present in the River Guadalquivir within the urban district of Cordoba. Here, they are numerous and some rare species are breeding in the riparian woodland, such as Night Heron or Western Olivaceous Warbler. Birds are also an easy group to look at, hence to study. For those reasons AEA El Bosque Animado set up a monitoring programme in 2007, which goals and methods are explained in this paper. Results of the 2008’s surveys are reported, including monthly estimates of abundance for each species. More than 100 species were recorded in the study area, a 7 km fringe along the river bank. The importance of riparian birds was established as well as their distribution.

(Florent Prunier y Silvia Saldaña)

Summary: this paper reports the presence of non native and invasive trees and shrubs species established in riparian zone of the river Guadalquivir in Cordoba. The results of a study carried out from the bridge of the Highway A4 up to the Casillas dam show the great quantity of invasive and harmful species present in the river. About 10,8 kilometers of river bank has been investigated. Currently the most invasive species are the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altisima), the River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and the Desert Fan palm (Washingtonia filifera). In an effort to make the public more aware of the problem, a brief description of the observed species is presented as well as a table of presence and abundance for them in different sections of the river.

(Pablo Hermoso y Florent Prunier)

Summary: The history of Godesa, a former nature conservation group from Cordoba has been strongly linked with the protection of the “Sotos de la Albolafia”. This papers reminds shortly the bulk of activity carried out in the 80s and 90s by the group. Godesa members were most importantly bird enthusiasts and started to figure out the importance of the bird community along the Guadalquivir in the city of Cordoba. Bird richness and threats to them are discussed here with special reference to urban schemes which undermined Nightheron’s breeding colony in various moments. Godesa was active in three fields: legal pursue since threat was permanent, environmental education for locals who lived with “their back to the river” and constant appeal for legal protection. It took 12 years (plus 7 of previous activities) to declare the “Sotos de la Albolafia” as a Natural Monument. Despite this and other educative programes, environmental education is still much in need along the river.

(Antonio Leiva y Miguel Carrasco)

Summary: Over the last three decades, the River Guadalquivir within the urban district of Cordoba has improved both in ecological value as well as its image and how the local people view the river. During the 20th Century the river was used basically as a sewer, especially for urban and olive-oil industrial wastes. It took a long time before natural restoration efforts started to be effective. In the 90s, birds such as the Purple gallinule and various species of herons were the most important flagship species. An important recuperation of water quality and riparian galleries was accompanied by increases in bird speciesdiversity and the recent recovery of the otter. This paper summarizes the most important events which have defined the river since the early 80s albeitwith different outcomes: the set up of the water treatment plant in 1991, food availability from unnatural sources such as solid waste, and major urban planning schemes in the 90s and during the first decade of the 21st Century. Nature conservation efforts culminated in the designation of the “Sotos de la Albolafia” as a Natural Monument. Finally it is argued that the local community is increasingly involved in the process-making of the river’s uses.

(Diego Peinazo Amo)