Forty researchers from the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the University of Valencia, experts in the study of biodiversity, traveled to Aras de los Olmos to learn about the facilities of the Alto Turia Biological Station (EBAT), which was inaugurated in September. Ismael Mingarro, Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences, welcomed the visit: “A magnificent opportunity to propose new research projects that will help increase our knowledge of the rich biodiversity of the Valencian Community, especially in the mountainous interior territories of Alto Turia.” He also noted: “Thanks to the renewed impetus of the Biological Station, a line of work and commitment at the University of Valencia to the sustainability of our territories is being consolidated, since the ultimate goal of EBAT is to contribute to solving environmental problems and extrapolate the solutions to similar natural environments.”

EBAT, the result of a specific agreement between the University of Valencia and the Aras City Council, is a project dedicated to scientific research, with applications for university teaching and the dissemination of knowledge. The choice of Aras de los Olmos as the location was motivated by the unique characteristics of the territory that makes up the Alto Turia Biosphere Reserve and by the work already carried out by the University through the town's Big History Center and its Ethnobotanical Garden of Medicinal and Useful Plants in promoting research.

The Botanical Garden, the Cavanilles Institute, and the Natural History Museum, all part of the University of Valencia, have already conducted top-level scientific studies of rare, threatened, or species of special interest in Aras de los Olmos. A few months ago, the town hosted the 16th Biodiversity Week, organized by the Valencian Regional Government, which brought together more than 120 specialists who, over four days, worked collaboratively on the study of local biodiversity, identifying nearly 900 new species of flora and fauna and generating more than 7,000 new records in the Biodiversity Database of the Valencian Community (BDBCV). Several conferences on the Botany and Zoology of this region have also been held, serving as a meeting point for specialist researchers from the University of Valencia and local residents.

The close collaboration between Aras de los Olmos and the University of Valencia attracts a growing number of researchers, technicians, and science communicators, generating a direct impact on both the collection of scientific knowledge and the revitalization of the region, as well as the promotion of environmental awareness among citizens. This has solidified Aras de los Olmos's position as a national leader in environmental research and outreach from a rural perspective.