For months now, field work has been carried out on the Siruela communal farm, which corresponds to the technical actions of the Life Scrubsnet project.
Among the actions carried out are the installation of an enclosure of approximately half a hectare, in which a pond has been included, for the creation of protected areas. Within this enclosure, various actions have been implemented, but previously large accumulations of earth that existed around the pond, the result of its initial construction, were spread.
Small masonry walls have been built around the pond drainage and the spring that supplies it, around several points that contain fresh water throughout the year, to protect the springs. Also, melliferous species such as sage and lavender, which are attractive to insects, have been planted, rockeries (piles of stones for reptiles), 4 insect hotels, a large stone for amphibians have been installed inside the pond and a dry holm oak trunk has been placed in the vicinity of the pond itself which will serve as a refuge for small mammals, reptiles and bird roosts.
The whole of the drainage, the spring and the interior of the pond have been revegetated, introducing 8 aquatic species, and other second-line species such as oleanders, wild rose and tamujo. Some metres of swale or infiltration lines have also been made to capture a greater volume of runoff water, deepening in a straight line on contour lines, filling these holes with plant material and stones, and covering them up. In addition, 10 islands of scrubland have been created inside the enclosure, also with 15 specimens of 12 species on each of the islands. Ten nesting boxes for passerines and shelters for bats will be placed around the enclosure.
In addition to the above actions, other actions have been carried out around another smaller pond. Specifically, a partial enclosure has been put up, it has been revegetated with aquatic species, and the slope and the entire drainage with second-line species such as tamujo, oleander and wild rose. Around this enclosure, six islands of scrubland have been placed, with the same characteristics and methodology as those described for Valcorchero.
Finally, work is being carried out on 2 kilometres of cattle track, where a ridge is being built and an electric shepherd is being installed to protect the future linear plantation that will mark the boundary of the cattle track. Once this ridge has been built, 7 temporary ponds or pools for amphibians and reptiles will be created around it and 300 encapsulated acorns will be placed between the three areas of action.
