Gautegiz Arteaga, The happiest place in Euskadi?

Tuesday, 02 March 2021 10:07

What does Gautegiz Arteaga have that other places do not?

"Ecological Economics" was interested to find out how nature influences human well-being in different ways and on a continental level. Different organizations and universities in Europe participated in the latest study.

"The importance of species diversity for human well-being in Europe" aimed to examine the relationship between species diversity and life satisfaction on a European level.

observatory

To this end, the researchers studied the connection between the life satisfaction of more than 26,000 adults from 26 European countries and the diversity of species in their environment.

"Europeans are particularly satisfied with their lives if their immediate environment is home to a great diversity of species," explains the study's lead author, Joel Methorst, a doctoral researcher at the Center for Biodiversity and Climate Research in Senckenberg, Germany.

They also examined the socioeconomic data of the people who were surveyed and, to their surprise, they found that bird diversity is as important to people´s life satisfaction as their income.

According to their findings, the happiest Europeans are those who can experience numerous different bird species in their daily lives, or who live in near-natural environments that are home to many species.

In this sense, Gautegiz Arteaga, located in the heart of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, is brimming with this splendid biodiversity. More than 250 different species of birds are present here throughout the year and not only that, but they can be observed with relative ease. The osprey, the elusive bittern or the spatula are some of its treasures.

Diversity

 In addition to this, the last European turtles are present here and even one of the most threatened mammals in Europe, the European mink has one of its last strongholds in this town.

Its marsh has countless invertebrates such as butterflies and dragonflies as well as amazing and threatened fish such as the stickleback.

In conclusion, everyone can benefit from this large reservoir of biodiversity which  accompanies the inhabitants of Gautegiz Arteaga every day.

 

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