EDP interns support local wildlife by planting 50 trees for the bear

To mark Earth Day, the EDP Foundation, in collaboration with the EDP Volunteering Program and the Fund for the Protection of Wild Animals (FAPAS), planted 50 fruit trees in Quirós.

As part of Earth Day celebrations, the EDP Foundation organized an environmental conservation initiative in partnership with the EDP Volunteering Program and FAPAS. More than 25 people participated in this activity—including students, their mentors at the energy company, and volunteers—held in the area of Quirós, Santo Adriano. The activity involved planting fruit trees such as apple, plum, and fig trees to repopulate the area and help feed the local brown bear population.

The volunteers and collaborators planted 50 trees, carefully following guidance on soil preparation and wildlife-friendly protection techniques. EDP interns Sofía González Álvarez and Miguel Alonso López encouraged future volunteers to get involved, highlighting it as a unique experience: “We hope others are inspired to join in because this is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. Spending quality time with colleagues outside the office while doing something good for local wildlife is incredibly rewarding. You feel part of something meaningful, and that’s more fulfilling than you expect.”

This activity is part of EDP’s “Go Green” campaign and falls within the EDP Foundation’s ongoing collaboration with FAPAS, through which 10,000 trees are planted annually in Spain.

Juan García-Ovies, head of the EDP Foundation in Asturias, also took part in the initiative and shared: “This event, bringing together interns, volunteers, and colleagues from EDP, is a very special moment. We hope to see what we’ve planted together continue to grow and become a symbol of our shared commitment to sustainability and the future.”

Esther González, head of volunteering at EDP, added: “We support these kinds of initiatives because they’re in our DNA—we are 100% green. Environmental volunteering gives so much back to participants. Connecting with nature helps us disconnect and reconnect.”

FAPAS works to study and conserve biodiversity through key species of the Cantabrian ecosystems. Fighting poaching, ensuring food and peace for bears during critical times of their life cycle, and raising public awareness have been the pillars of its Bear Project from the start.

With this initiative, the EDP Foundation reinforces its commitment to environmental and biodiversity conservation, contributing to the protection of the emblematic brown bear. The foundation has long supported environmental organizations, with the preservation and recovery of unique natural spaces as one of its main priorities.