FAPAS

The beginnings

A group of friends, concerned about the necessity of conserving the nature, began working in 1982 to protect the 8 pairs of vultures that still survived in the Picos de Europa.

Our first action was the implementation of a service for collecting dead cattle in the surroundings of the Sierra del Cuera, and the creation of a rubbish tip that worked as a feeder for many birds in Northern Spain for a long time.

As you can imagine, this initiative required a great economic effort, so we decided to ask for help to other nature lovers through magazines such as “Quercus” or “Natura”. Luckily, the response was immediate. In just one week 2,000 friends from all corners of Spain answered our request; And so, without intending to do so, FAPAS was born as an association.

Current initiatives

• Program for the recovery of pollination in mountain ecosystems, it is associated with the conservation of the Brown Bear.
• Plantation campaign of fruit-producing species, associated to the recovery of the Brown Bear.
• FAPAS IN ACTION, TV program to promote environmental awareness.

Current concerns

• To pressure administration to ensure that it complies with the laws of nature protection.
• To fight against poaching, linked to protection of the Brown Bear.
• To maintain an economic independence from administration. FAPAS does not receive public subsidies.

Upcoming objectives

• To continue the work initiated more than 30 years ago.
• Surviving without public subsidies.
• To continue to pass on to our collaborators the passion for conserving the nature.

How can I help?

You can become a partner or collaborator to help us to maintain economic independence. In this way, we will be able to continue denouncing all those irregularities and crimes committed against nature.

Sources of funding

Partners, foundations and collaborating companies.

An anecdote

Curiously, most of the FAPAS’ workers are self-taught and do not have any academic environmental training. However, they constitute a multidisciplinary team with a great capacity for action. They are able, for example, to assemble a television programme, design anti-bear attack hives, plant more than 500,000 trees under unfavourable conditions, or be pioneers in monitoring wildlife using photo-traps.

An example to follow

Roberto Hartasánchez, president and founder of FAPAS. After more than 30 years in the gap, he has never throw in the towel and keeps reinventing FAPAS every day with the same enthusiasm as on day one. He grants to all those around him the privilege of being able to continue working on what they like the most: nature conservation.

A dream

To count 1,000 bears in Northern Spain.

A good habit

To walk on the nature unconsciously, without understanding that it is not a gigantic theme park, where you can reach every corner, even with the best intentions.

A false belief

To believe that nature can cope with everything. A simple footstep in the wrong place, could be a great disaster for any living being, even if it is insignificant.

A reflection for hope

The human being is intelligent, we just have to teach him and he will respect the nature.