CT BETA supports the VII International Little Owl Symposium held in Vic
The little owl is a species typical of open agricultural landscapes and agroforestry mosaics, which in recent decades has suffered a sharp decline
From 20 to 23 March 2025, the city of Vic hosted the Seventh International Little Owl Symposium, a reference meeting for experts and researchers in the field of ornithology, focused on the study and conservation of the Barn Owl (Athene noctua). The event, which took place mainly in the facilities of the Can Baumann building of the University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, brought together some sixty participants from all over Europe.
The little owl is a species typical of open agricultural landscapes and agroforestry mosaics, which in recent decades has suffered a sharp decline in many parts of Europe. The abandonment of traditional agricultural practices, the intensification of agricultural activity, the loss of natural and semi-natural features (such as isolated trees, dry stone walls or margins), as well as the fragmentation of the territory and the artificialisation of the rural environment, have contributed to a worrying decline in their populations. This context has generated a growing interest in promoting research and conservation actions aimed at reversing this trend.
BETA Technology Centre actively collaborated in the organisation of the symposium, providing logistical and technical support to the different scientific sessions and workshops. This type of collaboration reinforces its commitment to applied research for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainability of rural areas, in this case with the help of local entities. Vic City Council, the Osona Naturalists Group (GNO) and the Catalan Institute of Ornithology (ICO) also supported the meeting.
The opening ceremony included welcoming speeches by Sergio Ponsá, director of CT BETA, and Albert Palou, representing the GNO. In the following days, the symposium was also visited by the Councillor for the Environment of Vic City Council, Ester Coma, and the Mayor, Albert Castells.
During four days, the symposium offered an extensive programme of lectures, presentations and debates on the status of the Little Owl populations, their habitats, behaviours, demographic trends and conservation actions. The last day included a field trip to learn about the GNO’s Nocturnal Raptor Reserve project, a pioneering initiative in Catalonia to promote the presence and reproduction of species such as the little owl in agricultural environments.
