Author: Marta Baena (UCO)
Editor: Miranda García (AEIDL)
The European H2020 research project MOVING, coordinated by the University of Cordoba, actively participated in the event ‘Noche en Ruta’, organised by the Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit of the UCO as part of the XII European Researchers’ Night. This event, hosted in Pozoblanco, featured MOVING’s researchers Pablo González and Carmen Maestre, along with livestock farmer Marian Navas, who delved into the challenges facing the Cordoba dehesa[1] in the years to come.
During this meeting in the region of Los Pedroches, the experts focused on one of the value chains analysed by MOVING -the Iberian ham production. “The main actions that can be undertaken to promote this emblematic natural environment, not solely from the perspective of science and research, but also encompassing all members of civil society in the region, including producers, breeders, cooperatives, public administrations, technicians and NGOs”, stated the researchers.
Carmen Maestre, a biologist specialising in Social Sciences applied to the Environment, highlighted the project’s approach: “In this project, we aimed to build a scientific understanding that is enriched by the experiences of local actors working in the territory, in this case, the dehesa.” a livestock farmer in the dehesa, highlighted that one of the most pressing challenges for the area is drought. To this, Pablo González, PhD in the Department of Forestry Engineering, added that drought stands as the primary cause of tree mortality in the region, alongside pathogenic threats.
While this marked Pozoblanco’s inaugural European Researchers’ Night, MOVING has previously participated in the event. In 2021, during one of the UCC’s ‘Bocados de Ciencia’ (Bites of Science) activities, Mar Delgado, the project’s coordinator, explained the mission of MOVING, which currently operates in 23 mountainous regions across Europe. Its aim is to foster the resilience and sustainability of these landscapes. Delgado’s presentation, titled ‘La montaña también se come‘ (Mountains can also be eaten), provided insights into MOVING’s endeavors.
The European Researchers’ Night unfolds simultaneously in over 400 cities across the EU. In Cordoba, it stands as the largest scientific dissemination programme organised throughout the year, spanning three weeks. This year’s event engaged over 350 scientists from the University of Cordoba and various public and private research centres.
You can read this article also in Spanish.
[1] Dehesa: Land that is generally enclosed, flat, rich in pasture and generally with a population of holm oaks or cork oaks.