**La Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura (XCN) is a network that brings together more than 200 Catalan organizations promoting the conservation and sustainable management of natural heritage, as well as environmental volunteering in Catalonia.**

In October's [**XCN**](https://xcn.cat/) board meeting, the accession of the **Bionexus Foundation as a new member of the network was approved**. With this membership, Bionexus takes another step forward in its commitment to the **protection, conservation, and management of Mediterranean ecosystems**. Becoming a member of the XCN will allow Bionexus to collaborate with other entities in this field for the purpose of natural heritage conservation and management.

The XCN operates as a second-level non-profit entity, bringing together organizations as diverse as city councils, foundations, public administrations, businesses, universities, and research centers.

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Bionexus becomes a member of the Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura

**From October 5 to 7, the II Nature Conservation Congress took place in Guardiola de Berguedà, bringing together the main organizations in Catalonia working in this field, and where Bionexus was present.**

As an organization dedicated to the protection, conservation, and management of Mediterranean ecosystems, **Bionexus** participated by giving a talk at the **II Nature Conservation Congress** organized by the **Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura** (Network for Nature Conservation). Bionexus presented the "Technical Manual for the Management, Restoration, and Creation of Mediterranean Ponds" currently in preparation, with its first edition due to be published shortly. The talk generated significant interest among the audience.

The II Nature Conservation Congress gathered **more than 200 people involved in nature conservation**. Participants included major foundations like Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, long-standing associations such as the Institut Català d'Ornitologia (Catalan Institute of Ornithology), and smaller, newer foundations like Bionexus. Representatives from the Catalan public administration were also in attendance, including directors of natural parks and staff from the Catalan Water Agency. During the congress, topics such as land stewardship, the management of Catalan river basins, and the promotion of biodiversity in agricultural and urban spaces were addressed.

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Bionexus in the II Nature Conservation Congress

**On September 24, Bionexus participated in “Fem un got de ciència!”, as part of European Researchers' Night at the Casino de Vic.**

Dr. Serena Sgarzi, a research technician at the Bionexus Foundation, presented the manual the Foundation is currently developing on the management, restoration, and creation of Mediterranean ponds, as well as their potential as nature-based solutions. It was an evening dedicated to sharing knowledge, bringing research closer to the public, and highlighting the value of these small ecosystems and their potential for biodiversity conservation.

European Researchers' Night is a continent-wide event promoted by the European Union to bring research closer to society. More than 300 cities across 30 European countries participate in this initiative. In Catalonia, it is organized in various locations, including Vic. As part of this event, workshops, shows, experiments, and, in the case of Bionexus, micro-talks are hosted.

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Bionexus participe in “Fem un got de ciència!”

**With the aim of collaborating with other institutions to conserve and protect natural heritage, the Bionexus Foundation has signed an agreement with the Catalan Society of Herpetology**

In 2026, Bionexus signed a **collaboration agreement** with one of the leading institutions in the knowledge and conservation of herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) of Catalonia, **the Catalan Society of Herpetology**. With this agreement, the aim is to promote joint projects related to the research, management, conservation, and dissemination of these species and their habitats. It also aims to foster an exchange of experiences and information on all topics that could benefit both institutions in the context of conserving natural heritage and its biodiversity. The agreement is valid for 4 years.

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Bionexus Foundation signe a collaboration agreement with the Catalan Society of Herpetology

**Two Bionexus members attended the Iberian Association of Limnology congress in Bilbao at the end of June**

The Bionexus Foundation was present at the **XXIII Iberian Congress of Limnology (AIL)** held in June in the city of Bilbao (Basque Country). Bionexus gave two talks on projects currently being carried out by the foundation. Dr. Serena Sgarzi presented the **pond restoration manual**, which sparked great interest among the audience. On the other hand, Dr. Lena Fehlinger presented part of the results of her doctoral thesis on **how to reduce the impact of livestock on mountain ponds**, which is part of the foundation's research program. Bionexus also organized a special session on "The conservation and restoration of small water bodies: Advances and challenges". During the congress, many current aquatic ecology topics were discussed, featuring many leading experts in this discipline from the Iberian region.

The Iberian Association of Limnology has held a biennial congress since 1981, meet together experts in limnology and aquatic ecology from the Iberian Peninsula. This year, the congress took place in Bilbao and gathered nearly 300 participants.

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Bionexus at the XXIII Iberian Association of Limnolog  (AIL)

L'Apunt, the magazine of the University of Vic (UVic), has published a [**news article about the collaboration agreement**](https://apunt.uvic.cat/la-uvic-ucc-i-la-fundacio-bionexus-impulsen-una-alianca-per-reforcar-la-recerca-en-ecosistemes) signed between the **Bionexus Foundation** and **UVic** in 2025. The article explains that the purpose of the agreement is to develop joint initiatives in the areas of research and knowledge transfer. Under this agreement, Bionexus provides research talent to carry out doctoral theses and joint projects with UVic, while UVic provides its laboratory facilities to conduct this research. The agreement is valid for four years and can be extended by mutual agreement.

The agreement with UVic is part of the Bionexus research program. One year after signing the agreement, the first results have already been achieved: the presentation of two doctoral theses on aquatic ecology in [**ponds of Boumort**](https://fundaciobionexus.org/en/project/Boumort) and on [**zooplankton size structure**](https://fundaciobionexus.org/en/project/estructura_plancton).

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Bionexus Foundation in the UVic Magazine

Saturday, April 4, the newspaper [**El Punt Avui**](https://www.elpuntavui.cat/societat/article/11-mediambient/2631479-al-rescat-de-les-zones-humides.html) featured an extensive report on the **Bionexus Foundation**. The report highlights the foundation's main goal: conducting applied research in the field, with a particular focus on restoring inland wetlands. It also emphasizes the importance of wetlands in Catalonia for biodiversity and carbon sequestration, making the recovery of these ecosystems essentia, a task a private foundation like Bionexus can carry out with greater agility than public administration.

Finally, the report explain the two winning projects of the research grant awarded in autumn 2025 by the Bionexus Foundation, which focus on the restoration of the Sant Climent Sescebes pond and the habitat restoration European pond turtle in Riudarenes.

To view the report: [**Al rescat de les zones humides**](https://www.elpuntavui.cat/societat/article/11-mediambient/2631479-al-rescat-de-les-zones-humides.htm)

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