Olivares Vivos successfully conducted the first edition of its training courses, attracting significant attendance and participation. Organized in collaboration with the Teacher Training, Innovation, and Resources Center (CEFIRE) of La Nucia, the course targeted teachers from the Alicante province in the Valencian Community. A total of 41 educators received training in agroecology, biodiversity recovery in olive groves, and leveraging the added value of olive oils to enhance farmers’ profitability.
Teachers from Primary, Secondary, and Vocational Training schools participated in a 3-week program to learn about the Olivares Vivos model and the benefits of integrating biodiversity into agricultural businesses. The theoretical part of the course, delivered digitally, covered topics such as the unique agroecosystem of olive groves, traditional biodiversity, proper management of plant cover, plant health, and European agricultural policies. The training concluded with high satisfaction and interest, as reflected in the feedback survey. Teachers expressed their intention to use the course materials and resources to transfer knowledge to their students and showed openness to incorporating more “gamified” materials.
This training concluded with an in-person session at the Teuladí farm (Relleu, Alicante), part of the LIFE Olivares Vivos + project, coordinated by SEO/BirdLife. Paula Martín, a SEO/BirdLife technician responsible for the Training Area of LIFE Olivares Vivos +, led the session. At this farm, where EVOO Señoríos de Relleu is produced, participants saw how the Olivares Vivos model is applied in a semi-arid terrain, adapted to the local climate and geology. Various actions to increase flora and fauna presence were demonstrated, emphasizing the importance of landscape heterogeneity in monoculture agricultural operations for sustaining biodiversity. This generated significant interest among teachers, particularly regarding maintenance (water use and plant replacement) and species selection (native and climate-adapted species).
Participants also observed fauna support installations: bird nesting boxes, bat shelters, water troughs, a pond, and an island in the irrigation pond. Teachers were particularly interested in the diversity of bird nesting boxes designed for different bird species, such as owls, barn owls, and kestrels, and the role of bats in pest control, an ecological function being further studied by LIFE Olivares Vivos +.
The session ended with an olive oil tasting of AOVE Señoríos de Relleu, led by Carlos Ruiz, a SEO/BirdLife technician and coordinator of LIFE Olivares Vivos +. Teachers learned to identify quality factors in olive oils, many experiencing their first tasting and discovering differences between various olive oil grades (Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Virgin Olive Oil, Olive Oil, and Pomace Oil).
Next Training Session: Teruel
The next training session by Olivares Vivos will take place in Alloza (Teruel, Aragón), organized with the Agro-Food Technology and Research Center of Aragón (CITA) under the AgriFoodTe program. This one-day, in-person training will be held at the Municipal Hostel of Alloza, starting at 09:30 AM, and will provide a detailed explanation of the Olivares Vivos model and its sustainability indicators. The session will focus on managing cover crops and restoring unproductive areas, concluding with a practical exercise in a local olive grove.
Registrations can be made at the following link: https://forms.gle/9FJZUFAdM5pvWX948
