To commemorate Earth Month this year, we journeyed over to a protected natural reserve in Vedat de Torrent to partake in a family-friendly volunteering activity with a lasting positive impact on the local ecosystem. We partnered with Natura y Cultura, an environmental research center focused on the sustainable development of the Horta region in Valencia. Friendly and knowledgeable guides explained that apart from leading investigative research, the center offers training courses and leads workshops to promote changes in citizens' habits by raising awareness of our carbon footprint. 2K Valencia's commitment to engage in socially and environmentally impactful initiatives in our community aligned with the research center's goals, and we were delighted to participate in a tree planting giveback event alongside them.
Planting for tomorrow
Armed with gardening tools and a collective spirit of service, we followed the guides on a meandering path to a large patch of dirt surrounded by towering pines, holm oaks, and other native Mediterranean trees. There, the guides explained the planting process and how important the seedlings are to facilitate understory vegetation for optimal reforestation efforts.
The team spent the remainder of the morning planting three main native species that grow in the bioclimate of the Valencian community: an evergreen shrub colloquially called strawberry tree, Aleppo pine, and South European flowering ash.
After working up quite the appetite, we enjoyed a typical Spanish “almuerzo"—a hearty late-morning lunch—then headed back to the nature reserve where we finished off the day with an educational, interactive talk. The discussion taught us more about the impact that urbanization has had on the fauna and flora of the region, and how the steady increase in wildfires over the past two decades in Spain has ravaged the ecosystem. Despite these harsh realities, there are many constructive ways we can help to mitigate this impact. We're grateful to have had the opportunity to take tangible action on this giveback day and make a small-but-positive change on the environment alongside our colleagues and friends.
