More than 40 people took part in the training activity organised by the Creamar Marine Protection Network in Mijas, promoted by the Aula del Mar Foundation and the Mijas Town Hall with the aim of creating a stable group of volunteers committed to the protection and restoration of the Mijas coastline. The first activity took place last Saturday 15th at the Cristóbal Ruiz Cultural Centre in La Cala. It was a theoretical training activity. About the volunteers, Juan Antonio López, president of the foundation, said that "they have to be of age and have a minimum of time to participate in the actions in which we are going to train them. They will have accrediation, insurance and they must be part of the national and international platforms of the United Nations so that we can coordinate with other marine protection groups". 

Creamar Mijas is the result of an agreement signed between the Aula del Mar Foundation and the Mijas Town Hall through the areas of Environment and Beaches, "it is very satisfying that in a municipality like Mijas, with such a diverse population, people are all involved in the care of the environment", said the councillor for Beaches, Daniel Gómez Teruel (PP). "I would like to thank the Aula del Mar Foundation because it is a project that has been studied and put in value by the government team for a long time, to set up these Creamar groups, because it is very good to take care of, clean and protect the environment, in this case, the marine environment, but also to know how to do it", concluded the councillor. 

 

Volunteers 

Most of the volunteers are trained or are being trained in the field of biology, they also have experience in this type of programme and have initiative. "I am a microbiologist and I like everything related to bacteria, viruses... and everything related to biology. I find everything about Creamar very interesting because it is something that is going to be done in this area and as I live here, I want to participate and contribute some knowledge to be able to help", said one of the volunteers, Andrea Ramírez.  

 

Marine biodiversity 

The Aula del Mar reminds us that Mijas is one of the municipalities with the greatest marine biodiversity in Malaga. In the town, the Creamar group of volunteers will therefore be responsible for paying special attention and care to the meadows of posidonia oceanica and the kentish plover, both protected species. "We are going to raise awareness and through this voluntary work we are going to try to restore and improve these meadows and, on the other hand, we are going to focus on all the diversity of marine fauna and flora in the breakwater", explained López, who added that “the kentish plover is one of the most emblematic species that breeds on this coastline and we have to make an effort to protect these breeding areas and maintain the population”. 

After this theoretical training, the next step will be practical field work. The volunteers will visit, among others, the areas where the plovers nest and where the posidonia meadows are located. Subsequently, specific actions such as reforestation, waste collection and the elimination of invasive plants will be carried out. 

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