Exolum contributes to preserving nature and protected species in cooperation with the NGO GREFA

For 8 years, Exolum has maintained a partnership with GREFA in order to conserve the Montagu’s harrier and the lesser kestrel, both in danger of extinction

The initiatives implemented focus on releasing specimens bred in captivity, and rescue efforts

Within the framework of its Social Action Plan and the ESG (environment, social and governance) Master Plan, Exolum continues to support the conservation of and research into wildlife at risk of extinction, thanks to the partnership it has maintained for eight years with the NGO Rehabilitation Group for Native Fauna and its Habitat (GREFA).

Exolum is currently supporting projects developed by GREFA to preserve endangered species such as the lesser kestrel, the hen harrier and Montagu’s harrier. The latter has been designated bird of the year 2023 by the Spanish Ornithological Society SEO BirdLife.

To this effect, in the municipality of Arganda del Rey, Exolum has funded the construction of a nesting tower with the objective of releasing lesser kestrel specimens born as part of GREFA’s breeding in captivity programme and thus increase the number of individuals of the species. This action, which started eight years ago, has shown promising results, in 2022 attaining ten pairs of this small migratory falcon which have reproduced naturally.

In the case of Montagu’s harriers, which are highly dependent on rain-fed crops, the projects were based on rescue efforts in the area of la Sagra (Toledo and Madrid) during the mechanised cereal harvest and on tagging some specimens with GPS devices to determine their feeding ground, home range and activity.

In this way, Exolum and GREFA are committed to conserving these endangered species which experience a steady decline in their populations, through medium- and long-term participation in projects with an added social dimension thanks to the visits the families of Exolum employees make to GREFA’s Live Nature Centre in Majadahonda and other centres.

Exolum and GREFA have also conducted environmental studies to measure the integration of the pipelines that run through areas that are especially rich in biodiversity. The studies carried out have found that the sections analysed do not interfere with the development of the animal and plant species in the areas selected and highlight the integration of the infrastructure into the environment. Exolum and GREFA analysed a total of approximately 200 kilometres of protected natural areas where the pipelines are present in nine regions.