El CEIP Emilia MenéndezIn La Robla (León), a project has been launched school reforestation with seed bombs to help recover the forests affected by the summer fires in the province.
The center, recognized as Sustainable Center of Castile and León since 2021 and also at the national level since 2024, it integrates sustainability as a priority line of work and promotes learning through direct action on the territory in collaboration with the Bierzo Renace association.
Who participates and how are the bombs made?
All students, from Early Childhood Education (3 years) up to 6th grade of Primary School (12 years), participates in the production of these spheres that encapsulate local seeds to facilitate their planting in the forest.
The bombs are prepared with a simple mixture that combines natural materials and native seeds. collected through Bierzo Renace volunteering:
- Claysto protect the seeds and compact the sphere.
- Soil and compost, which provide structure and nutrients.
- Waterto blend the ingredients.
- Coir, which improves moisture retention.
- indigenous seeds, adapted to the Bierzo environment.
Areas of operation and species used
Seed bombs are They will disperse in affected areas. due to the fire Gestures, with planned performances in the towns of Gestoso, Oencia, Arnado, Leiroso and Lusíoconnecting classroom learning with the restoration of the nearby landscape.
The use of seeds from El Bierzo itself favors the natural regeneration of the land and it reinforces local biodiversity, as these are species adapted to the conditions of the environment.
- Dandelion
- Majestic
- Common grass
- Blackthorn
- Wild barley
Institutional support and collaboration
The asociación Bierzo Reborn has sent the school a box of collected seeds, along with a thank you letter and a video, a gesture that has reinforced the motivation of both students and teachers.
The regional government in León has recognized the educational and environmental value of this experience, emphasizing that integrating sustainability into the classroom It promotes commitment to the environment and acts as an engine of change.
Educational and environmental impact
The initiative combines curricular content with practical fieldwork, so that students understand the impact of the fires and participates in concrete restoration solutions.
- Practical environmental educationActive learning about reforestation and biodiversity.
- ecosystem recovery: promotes vegetation cover in burned areas.
- Resilience and biodiversity: use of local species adapted to the territory.
- networking: collaboration between school and social entities.
A replicable model in the province
This project is part of a broader strategy for the center that includes awareness, waste reduction and improved energy efficiency, and is offered as a replicable experience for other schools in León and throughout Castilla y León.
The school reforestation project using native species, organized in conjunction with Bierzo Renace and with institutional support, demonstrates how an educational community can combine real efforts to restore the territory after the fires without losing sight of the educational objective.