Descrizione dell'organizzazione

SEO/BirdLife, the Spanish Ornithological Society, is the oldest environmental NGO in Spain. Founded in 1954, SEO/BirdLife's work has gained prestige among the scientific community and society in general. Our mission has remained the same ever since: "Study and conserve birds and nature and to disseminate their values. Our interest is
human welfare and the conservation of the natural world".

Our main activities are:
- Protecting birds: to conserve wild birds and their habitat in Spanish territory, as well as, through BirdLife International, to contribute to the conservation of the world's biodiversity.
- Citizen science: carrying out scientific studies to increase knowledge about wild birds and their habitat, particularly as an essential tool for their conservation.
- Social action: Because to know is to love, we work to spread knowledge, appreciation and respect for birds and nature in general.
- International Cooperation: We work in international cooperation for development, as a fundamental motor for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in developing countries.
- Environmental education: This is one of our hallmarks. We have been committed to environmental education for more than 20 years through courses, workshops and activities in educational centres. We count on teachers as allies, to whom we offer training and support.
- Volunteering: We are the environmental NGO with the most volunteers in the field (approx.15,000 people/year). We promote citizen science and environmental volunteer programmes to improve the conservation status of species and natural spaces. For over a decade our work has been very much focused on young people (18 to 30 years old) as a fundamental working group to make the future more sustainable, although other age groups and concerns also have a place in our actions.

In addition to working in collaboration with the representatives of BirdLife International, it does so in third countries where it develops conservation projects, local training and support to local entities. The nature of the organization and its experience has facilitated that it be one of the organizations, along with the rest of the BirdLife International partners, with more experience in ornithological tourism, conservation of sensitive areas and rural development in them.

More than 150 000 people participate in the organization's conservation, educational and outreach campaigns. 19 800 members, 96 employees, 11 offices (including offices in Cantabria , 43 local groups, 31 900 volunteers, 5 working groups, 1 Scientific Committee, 35 000 participants in educational activities, 40 000 attendees at the Bird Day, 14 600 references in media, 3 000 000 visits per year to our web, 200 000 followers on social networks, 51 landstewardship agreements adding up for 52 258 hectares of land, 10 700 hectares managed in 11 bird sanctuaries, including the Riet Vell Natural Reserve (with circa 5000 visitors/year) and the Clot Ornithological Reserve in the Ebro Delta ; 2 interpretation centres (including the Francisco Bernis Centre in Doñana), several dozen judgments in favour of SEO/BirdLife, dozens of open contentious and criminal cases, more than 300 suggestions and allegations to public and private projects.

SEO/BirdLife has two specific Technical Offices in two of the most important Spanish protected areas: Doñana and the Ebro Delta.

The offices of SEO/BirdLife in Doñana (working since 1992) are based in the Francisco Bernis Ornithological Center (El Rocio, Almonte) in Huelva. Their work includes the development of various projects and volunteer programs inside and around Doñana protected area (including other natural areas of the coast of Huelva), fight against climatic change, conservation of biodiversity, scientific birds ringing campaigns, research and conservation programs, awareness and environmental education, aimed at local people.

The office of SEO/BirdLife in the Ebro Delta, running since 1995, is based in the Natural Reserve of Riet Vell (Amposta, Tarragona) and is working on several lines of action seeking for the conservation of this vulnerable european wetland that is already threatened by the effects of climate change. Our work includes the development of different projects and volunteering programs carried out in the Ebro Delta protected area, wildlife monitoring campaigns, research and conservation projects, fight against climatic change, conservation of biodiversity, ornithological tourism promotion, rural development sustainability, awareness and environmental education, aimed at the local, national and international people that regularly visit us.