Els Aiguamolls de la Puda de Banyoles: una proposta de gestió

La Puda, no fa pas tants anys, constituïa un espai emblemàtic de Banyoles i, en canvi, avui dia ha esdevingut un àmbit totalment al marge de la dinàmica de la ciutat. La realitat actual mostra que és un espai que no ha desenvolupat les seves potencialitats, fet que l'ha portat a no posseir plenament les característiques d'un parc urbà ni les pròpies d'una àrea natural. L'objectiu principal d'aquest article és proposar un model de gestió per als aiguamolls de la Puda, amb el propòsit de regenerar i protegir ambientalment la zona i recuperar per a la societat banyolina un espai oblidat. Es tracta, dones, de contemplar-ne tant la vessant natural com la social i de fer-ho prenent en consideració diferents escales d’anàlisi. Les raons que condueixen a tal objectiu es fonamenten en la convicció que tot i la precària salut ambiental que pateix la lona, encara està en condicions de desenvolupar plenament el seu alt valor ecològic, i que tot i la marginalitat que presenta respecte a la resta del municipi, manté la possibilitat d'esdevenir un espai singular i atractiu que participi activament de la vida banyolina

Diagnosi ambiental d'oportunitats de minimització a l'Ajuntament de Banyoles

Aplicació d'una DAOM (Diagnosi Ambiental d’Oportunitats de Minimització)a l'Ajuntament de Banyoles. Una DAOM és una eina desenvolupada pel Centre per a l’Empresa i el Medi Ambient, que consisteix en l’avaluació d’una activitat o procés, per determinar les possibles oportunitats de prevenció i reducció en origen de la contaminació, i aportar-hi alternatives d’actuació tècnica i econòmicament viables

Diagnosi de l’estat ecològic de les poblacions de nàiades als recs i rieres de l’Estany de Banyoles: propostes de gestió per la seva conservació

Estudi sobre la situació actual de les nàiades dels recs de l’estany de Banyoles, concretament de les espècies unio elongatulus penchinatianus, potomida littoralis subreniformis i anodonta cygnea. Amb les dades recollides es fa una proposta de pla de gestió per a la conservació, protecció i repoblació d’aquestes espècies a la zona

Maleta pedagògica familiar "Descobrim l'estany de Banyoles"

L’educació ambiental a Catalunya i, en concret a les comarques gironines, compta amb una certa tradició. Són diversos els equipaments que, de mica en mica, han anat oferint a les escoles la possibilitat de fer un aprenentatge directe i experimental de les Ciències Naturals i Socials, tot oferint als centres allò que la seva infraestructura no els permet obtenir o allò que el seu context geogràfic els impedeix conèixer. Doncs la ciutat de Banyoles i la seva comarca, el Pla de l’Estany, constitueixen una zona de gran interès paisatgístic i natural, a més de cultural i artístic, que comporten un gran nombre de possibilitats didàctiques ja que el propi medi ofereix un ampli ventall de recursos pedagògics. Per això, amb l’interès de fer conèixer als escolars de Catalunya la riquesa de la comarca i de recolzar amb l'experiència directa el treball de l'aula, va néixer l’Escola de Natura de Banyoles (d’ara endavant EdNB)

Aproximació a la fauna malacològica de l'estany de Banyoles mitjançant l'anàlisi de les restes retingudes pel sediment

Es dóna un llistat de les espècies de mol·luscs presents a les mostres de dragatges efectuats a l'Estany de Banyoles durant el mes de juliol de 1985. Es constata que, excepte per al bivalve Pisidium casertanum, la resta de mol.luscs (tots gasteròpodes) dels que només es va trobar la closca, corresponen a exemplars de la fauna malacològica de les ribes de l'estany o de les rieres que hi aboquen, que haurien estat transportats passivament fins on varen ser trobats

La mandíbula de Banyoles, un descobriment centenari

Article on es descriu global i breument alguns dels temes relacionats amb la mandíbula de Banyoles: el descobriment i els estudis realitzats pel seu descobridor –Pere Alsius i Torrent-, el lloc on es va localitzar, la pròpia mandíbula i les possibles datacions

Un model de guia didàctica [Ressenya del llibre Itinerari geològic de Banyoles : descoberta del funcionament del sistema lacustre, de David Brusi , Joan Bach i Miquel Sanz]

Ressenya del llibre 'Itinerari geològic de Banyoles : descoberta del funcionament del sistema lacustre' de David Brusi, Joan Bach i Miquel Sanz, editat per l' Ajuntament de Banyoles i Eumo Editorial l'any 1990

La zona lacustre de Banyoles (Girona, España)

Descripció de la zona lacustre de Banyoles des del punt de vista geològic i hidrogeologic

Participació de les aigües subterrànies en la gènesi d'ambients palustres continentals: el cas dels prats de Sant Sebastià (Caldes de Malavella, Girona)

The area known as 'prats de Sant Sebastià' is in Caldes de Malavella. It is part of the wetlands located in the south-eastern end of the Selva Basin. Several areas with unusually high conductivity (EC up to 24,500 uS/cm) have been identified in this place. This fact allows highly specialised and comparatively rare botanical species to grow in this area. These saline soils follow a north-south line-up. The geophysical data, obtained with a field conductivemeter (EM 31), show that this superficial line-up continues in the subsoil. In addition to this, the conductivity cartography, made for an electromagnetic exploration depth of 6 meters, shows that the width of the region where these salinity anomalies take place increases in depth. When included in the hidrogeological context of this sector of the Selva Basin, these data bring new elements for the study of the genesis and working of these marshy environments. The model that future research will have to confirm, maintains that the groundwater discharges coming from the underlying hydrogeothermal aquifer are a conditioning factor of the aforementioned phenomenon. This ascending flow of highly mineralised waters (TDS of about 3,500 mg/l) can produce and keep stable the soil salinity

Managing wetlands sustainably as ecosystems : The contribution of the law (part 1)

The ways in which a society set standards of behaviour and of conduct for its members vary hugely. For example, accepted practices, recognised customs, spiritually or morally inspired norms, judicially declared rules, executively formulated edicts, formal legislative enactments or constitutionally embedded rights and duties. Whatever form they assume, these standards are the artificial construction of the human mind. Accordingly the law - whatever its form - can do no more and no less than regulate or set standards for human behaviour, human conduct, and human decision-making. The law cannot regulate the environment. It can only regulate human activities that impact directly or indirectly upon the environment. This applies as much to wetlands as components of the environment as it does to any other components of the environment or the environment at large. The capacity of the law to protect the environment and therefore wetlands is thus totally dependent upon the capacity of the law to regulate human behaviour, human conduct and human decision-making. At the same time the law needs to reflect the specific nature, functions and locations of wetlands. A wetland is an ecosystem by itself; it comprises a range of ecosystems within it; and it is part of a wider set of ecosystems. Hence, the significant ecological functions performed by wetlands. Then there are the benefits flowing to humans from wetlands. These may be social, economic, cultural, aesthetic, or a combination of some or of all of these. It is a challenge for a society acting through its legal system to find the appropriate balance between these ecological and these human values. But that is what sustainability requires.The ways in which a society set standards of behaviour and of conduct for its members vary hugely. For example, accepted practices, recognised customs, spiritually or morally inspired norms, judicially declared rules, executively formulated edicts, formal legislative enactments or constitutionally embedded rights and duties. Whatever form they assume, these standards are the artificial construction of the human mind. Accordingly the law - whatever its form - can do no more and no less than regulate or set standards for human behaviour, human conduct, and human decision-making. The law cannot regulate the environment. It can only regulate human activities that impact directly or indirectly upon the environment. This applies as much to wetlands as components of the environment as it does to any other components of the environment or the environment at large. The capacity of the law to protect the environment and therefore wetlands is thus totally dependent upon the capacity of the law to regulate human behaviour, human conduct and human decision-making. At the same time the law needs to reflect the specific nature, functions and locations of wetlands. A wetland is an ecosystem by itself; it comprises a range of ecosystems within it; and it is part of a wider set of ecosystems. Hence, the significant ecological functions performed by wetlands. Then there are the benefits flowing to humans from wetlands. These may be social, economic, cultural, aesthetic, or a combination of some or of all of these. It is a challenge for a society acting through its legal system to find the appropriate balance between these ecological and these human values. But that is what sustainability requires.

Managing Wetlands Sustainably as Ecosystems: The Contribution of the Law (Part 2)

In this Part 2 attention is turned towards the legal arrangements in nation states for managing wetlands. These national arrangements have effect within the international arrangements already mentioned and any regional arrangements that are relevant. However, each national system is a reflection of its own historical, cultural, political and constitutional background. It is the purpose of this Part 2 to review and assess the national approaches to wetlands management. This involves an analysis of a range of instruments. These are: constitutional rules; strategic rules; regulatory rules; and management rules. Each of these sets of rules performs different functions, assumes different forms and is differentially capable of enforcement.

My Victorian Waterway : Personal Connections with Rivers, Estuaries and Wetlands in Victoria. Report Commissioned by the Department of Sustainability and Environment

Victorians feel a strong connection to their local waterways and most have a good grasp of river health issues. The My Victorian Waterway report analyses how Victorians interact with their local waterways including rivers, lakes and estuaries. The report is based on the results of a survey completed by more than 7,000 Victorians who answered questions about how they use and care for their local waterways as well as their knowledge of river health issues and aspirations for the future of our waterways.

Understanding treatment characteristics of constructed stormwater wetlands

Constructed wetlands are a common structural treatment measure employed to remove stormwater pollutants and forms an important part of the Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) treatment suite. In a constructed wetland, a range of processes such as settling, filtration, adsorption, and biological uptake play a role in stormwater treatment. Occurrence and effectiveness of these processes are variable and influenced by hydraulic, chemical and biological factors. The influence of hydraulic factors on treatment processes are of particular concern. This paper presents outcomes of a comprehensive study undertaken to define the treatment performance of a constructed wetland highlighting the influence of hydraulic factors. The study included field monitoring of a well established constructed wetland for quantity and quality factors, development of a conceptual hydraulic model to simulate water movement within the wetland and multivariate analysis of quantity and quality data to investigate correlations and to define linkages between treatment performance and influential hydraulic factors. Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) concentrations formed the primary pollutant parameters investigated in the data analysis. The outcomes of the analysis revealed significant reduction in event mean concentrations of all three pollutants species. Treatment performance of the wetland was significantly different for storm events above and below the prescribed design event. For events below design event, TSS and TN load reduction was comparatively high and strongly influenced by high retention time. For events above design event, TP load reduction was comparatively high and was found to be influenced by the characteristics of TP wash-off from catchment surfaces.

Wetlands, climate zones and Barmah Forest virus disease in Queensland, Australia

Barmah Forest virus (BFV) disease is the second most common mosquito-borne disease in Australia, but the linkages of the wetlands and climate zones with BFV transmission remain unclear. We aimed to examine the relationship between the wetlands, climate zones and BFV risk in Queensland, Australia. Data on the wetlands, climate zones, population and BFV cases for the period 1992 to 2008 were obtained from relevant government agencies. BFV risk was grouped as low-, medium- and high-level based on BFV incidence percentiles. The buffer zones around each BFV case were made using 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 50 km distances. We performed a discriminant analysis to determine the differences between wetland classes and BFV risk within each climate zone. The discriminant analyses show that saline 1, riverine and saline tidal influence were the most significant contributors to BFV risk in all climate and buffer zones, while lacustrine, palustrine, estuarine and saline 2 and saline 3 wetlands were less important. These models had classification accuracies of 76%, 98% and 100% for BFV risk in subtropical, tropical and temperate climate zones, respectively. This study demonstrates that BFV risk varies with wetland class and climate zone. The discriminant analysis is a useful tool to quantify the links between wetlands, climate zones and BFV risk.