The Institute for Agricultural Research and Technology has published Ovihuec: A High-Mountain Adventure, a popular science comic that explains, through an adventure story aimed at young readers, the role of extensive livestock farming in conserving the landscape, preventing forest fires and enhancing biodiversity in high-mountain areas.
The comic has been created as part of the Ovihuec.dat project, an initiative launched in the Aran Valley with the aim of reviving and highlighting extensive livestock farming as a tool for land management. The project advocates a model that combines traditional grazing knowledge with innovative technological tools, such as smart collars and virtual fences, to make this activity more efficient, sustainable and attractive to new generations.
Through the eyes of siblings Jordi and Ariadna, who have the unexpected help of Ovihuec, a very special goat, the reader embarks on an adventure that allows them to discover the landscape, the work of livestock farmers and the importance of caring for ecosystems.
The comic introduces concepts such as agroforestry mosaics, biodiversity, pasture rotation, carbon sequestration and ecosystem services, explaining how human activity, when managed sustainably, can help maintain the landscape’s balance and reduce risks such as major wildfires.
Furthermore, the work includes a final glossary with clear, reader-friendly definitions, which makes it easier to delve deeper into the concepts explored throughout the story and turns the comic into a useful educational tool for schools, combining rigorous learning with engaging storytelling.
Ovihuec.dat is coordinated by the IRTA and involves the participation of the Vilamòs Town Council, the General Council of Aran, the Centre for Forest Science and Technology of Catalonia (CTFC), the Centre for Research in Agricultural and Food Economy and Development (CREDA) and the Information and Communication Technology Centre (CTIC). Likewise, the project is supported by the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), financed by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
Presentations in the Aran Valley
The comic Ovihuec was presented on the 26th and 27th of February in various cultural and educational venues in the Aran Valley, with the aim of bringing the project closer to the local community and, in particular, to the pupils of the region. The sessions included participation from technical and research staff from the IRTA, as well as the communications department, to explain the project in an accessible way. This was followed by a series of activities with the pupils to address any questions and create a comprehensive learning session.
26 February
Public presentation at the Era Alquimia bookshop.
27 February:
· Loseron School of Arties and Salardú, with Year 5 and 6 primary school pupils.
· Garona School of Vielha, with Year 5 and 6 primary school pupils.
· Sant Ròc School of Bossòst and Les, with 42 pupils from Year 5 and 6.
· Two sessions with Year 7 pupils at the Institut d’Aran (Vielha).
In total, more than 250 primary and secondary school pupils have been able to learn about the project first-hand and reflect on the importance of sustainable land management and the role of extensive livestock farming in conserving the landscape.
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With initiatives such as Ovihuec’s comic, IRTA reinforces its commitment to scientific outreach and knowledge transfer, bringing research and land management closer to citizens, especially the younger generations.
Scientific responsible of the Welfair animal welfare label / Ungulate welfare researcher
Technician expert in extensive production and new technologies
