Association of Naturalists of the Southeast

The Association of Naturalists of the Southeast (Asociación de Naturalistas del Sureste, ANSE) is a Spanish non-profit, autonomous and independent environmental organization. Founded in 1973, it is the oldest ecologist and naturalist association in the provinces of Alicante and Murcia, and the fourth oldest in Spain. Its social headquarters are in Murcia, with an office and work center in Cartagena. Although its scope of action is national, its activity is mainly focused on the southeastern Iberian Peninsula, particularly the provinces of Alicante, Almería and Murcia. In recent years it has also carried out work in North Africa and other parts of the Mediterranean. ANSE's stated purposes are scientific dissemination, study, environmental education and conservation of ecosystems. Its main objectives include the conservation of nature by promoting the protection of natural spaces and endangered species; environmental education to raise public awareness about biodiversity and sustainable use of resources; and research on local flora and fauna and the assessment of ecosystem status. The organization has several hundred members who contribute through an annual fee, as well as dozens of collaborators and volunteers. ANSE carries out campaigns for the defense and protection of the environment, including projects for the protection of threatened wild species, control of polluting effects on fauna and flora, reporting of infractions against wildlife protection laws, and study and defense of habitats and ecosystems such as the coast, orchards and rivers. It manages reserves and custody projects, ranging from the reintroduction of the spur-thighed tortoise to the recovery of traditional crops and bird censuses. Its research activities include bird ringing for scientific purposes, studies on animal diseases, distribution atlases of flora and fauna, censuses of birds and reptiles, and laboratory analysis. Dissemination is carried out through graphic and editorial material, publications, talks, media denunciations, audiovisual media, and activities with educational centers. Notable projects include Fluviatilis (shared river management), GePescArt (artisanal fishing for coastal wetland management), #MirandoAlTendido (citizen monitoring of bird electrocution), LIFE Cerceta Pardilla (recovering 3,000 ha of wetlands for the marbled teal), Murciélago patudo (conservation of the long-fingered bat), Canastera (monitoring and conservation of the collared pratincole in intensive agriculture areas of Campo de Cartagena since 2003), and participation in the LIFE project for the conservation of Audouin's gull on Isla Grosa (2004-2007). ANSE also works on the conservation and recovery of the Salinas de Marchamalo and the Mar Menor, and has participated in projects such as Life Seed Neb and AgriConCiencia. The organization has collaboration agreements with the Official College of Biologists of the Region of Murcia and various universities, and offers internships and community service work.

ANSE was founded in 1973, making it the oldest ecologist and naturalist association in the provinces of Alicante and Murcia, and the fourth oldest in Spain. It has its social headquarters in Murcia and an office and work center in Cartagena. Its scope of action is national, although its activity is mainly focused on the southeastern Iberian Peninsula, particularly the provinces of Alicante, Almería and Murcia. In recent years it has also developed work in North Africa and other parts of the Mediterranean. For more than 50 years, ANSE has carried out campaigns for the defense and protection of the environment, including projects for the protection of threatened wild species, control of polluting effects on fauna and flora, reporting of infractions against wildlife protection laws, and study and defense of habitats and ecosystems such as the coast, orchards and rivers. It has worked in areas such as the Mar Menor, the Segura River, and more recently in the regional park of Cabo Cope and Puntas de Calnegre, the Cabezo Negro de Zeneta, and in opposition to the Land Law. It also manages reserves and custody projects, ranging from the reintroduction of the spur-thighed tortoise to the recovery of traditional crops and bird censuses. ANSE's research activities include bird ringing for scientific purposes, studies on animal diseases, distribution atlases of flora and fauna, censuses of birds and reptiles, and laboratory analysis and sampling. Dissemination is carried out through graphic and editorial material, publications, talks and colloquia, public denunciations through the media, preparation of audiovisual media, and activities with educational centers and other groups, such as World Bird Day, volunteer organizations, talks, and the Renewable Energy Park. Notable projects include Fluviatilis, which seeks to promote shared management of rivers and their banks and advance the integration and participation of public administrations, economic sectors and citizens; GePescArt (Artisanal fishing for the management of coastal wetlands and species of fishing interest), which aims to expand available information on the local distribution, biology and ecology of sensitive species of fishing interest, highlighting the European eel and mullet species, and to reduce the incidence of problems through demonstrative actions with traditional fishing methods, awareness, social participation and management proposals; #MirandoAlTendido, a citizen initiative to monitor bird mortality from electrocution in the Region of Murcia; LIFE Cerceta Pardilla, which aims to recover 3,000 ha of wetlands to reverse the risk of extinction of the most threatened duck in Europe; Murciélago patudo, an evaluation of the conservation status of the long-fingered bat (Myotis capaccinii) in the southeastern Iberian Peninsula, the only Iberian chiropteran considered 'In Danger of Extinction' in the National Catalogue of Threatened Species; Canastera, which since 2003 has carried out monitoring and conservation work for the species in intensive agriculture areas of Campo de Cartagena with the collaboration of farmers; and participation in the LIFE project for the conservation of Audouin's gull (Larus audouinii) in Spain, Isla Grosa (Murcia) (2004-2007), together with the Ministry of Environment of the Region of Murcia, to reinforce the population of Audouin's gull on Isla Grosa and guarantee its conservation. ANSE has also worked on the conservation and recovery of the Salinas de Marchamalo and the Mar Menor, and has participated in projects such as Life Seed Neb and AgriConCiencia. It has collaboration agreements with the Official College of Biologists of the Region of Murcia and various universities (for example, the University of Murcia) and educational centers for training internships. It also has an agreement with the Ministry of the Interior for the fulfillment of community service work. The organization has several hundred members who contribute through an annual fee, as well as dozens of collaborators and volunteers.

• 2022

  ANSE publishes a tender for the extraction of invasive exotic ichthyofauna through artisanal fishing, with a base budget of €53,719.

• 2004

  ANSE participates in the LIFE project for the conservation of Audouin's gull on Isla Grosa, Murcia (2004-2007).

• 2003

  ANSE begins monitoring and conservation work for the collared pratincole (Canastera) in intensive agriculture areas of Campo de Cartagena.

• 1973

  ANSE is founded, becoming the oldest ecologist and naturalist association in Alicante and Murcia and the fourth oldest in Spain.

Non-profit environmental organization focused on conservation, research and education in southeastern Spain.

1. 1ANSE - Asociación de Naturalistas del Suresteasociacionanse.org
2. 2Trabaja con nosotros - ANSE - Asociación de Naturalistas del Suresteasociacionanse.org
3. 3Association of Naturalists of the Southeastwikidata.org
4. 4Asociación de Naturalistas del Surestees.wikipedia.org