The second field visit of the LIFE medCLIFFS Volunteering Network took place on the 25th of March 2023 in Tossa de Mar.
We were 12 people, who went along the transects S13 and S14, starting right at the beginning of the walls of the old town of Tossa.
During the field visit we were able to observe abundant populations of Matthiola incana around the walls, and a large expanse of Lonicera japonica on Codolar beach.
We also were able to observe Agave americana, Arundo donax, Carpobrotus sp., Chenopodium nutans, Gazania rigens, Dimorphoteca ecklonis, Matthiola incana, Lonicera japonica, Opuntia ficus-indica and Pittosporum tobira.
In addition to learning how to recognise these plants, the field visit also served to explain the registration process for the iNaturalist project to the new volunteers of the LIFE medCLIFFS Volunteer Network.
Dimorphoteca ecklonis. Credits: Flora Catalana.
Observing invasive flora of the coastal cliffs in Tossa de Mar. Credits: Isabel García Zafra.
Besides this, the minimum distance between populations to define them as two different populations was also discussed, as well as how to monitor very large and continuous populations.
Senecio pterophorus a Tossa de Mar
Senecio pterophorus. Credits: Carlos Gómez-Bellver.
The outstanding species of this field visit was Senecio pterophorus, which we detected near the lighthouse of Tossa de Mar.
This is a species that has been low observed in the area but which should be closely monitored because it is a clearly invasive species on the Costa Brava.
