Natura 2000 network

… a set of places to protect Europe’s most representative flora, fauna and ecosystems, whilst also enhancing the well-being and quality of life of those who live in them.

… Basque society’s chief contribution to the conservation of biodiversity in the world.

… an alliance between people and nature which supports sustainable development in underprivileged areas, helping maintain traditional activities which favour biodiversity, and permits all economic activity which does not pose a danger to it.

Biodiversity provides us with resources and services on which our quality of life depends: food, raw materials, medicine, water purification, crop pollination, generation of soil, pest control, purification of the atmosphere, climate regulation, etc.

Conserving our landscapes and the diversity of plant and animal species that inhabit them means conserving the legacy left to us by our forefathers and our signs of identity, as well as ensuring our well-being.

Deciduous forests which used to occupy a large part of the Basque Country and help slow down global warming.

Mountain pastures rich in wild plants which support traditional farming.

Rivers full of life and riverbank woods which regulate water levels, purify the water and provide a home for our most threatened species of flora and fauna.

The land-sea relationship in the Basque Country is historical and a source of basic food supplies.

The Atlantic countryside is, without doubt, one of the signs of identity of the Basque territory and a fine example of the fruitful relationship between people and Biodiversity.

Wetlands are the most productive ecosystems in the world. They offer shelter to a large part of our Biodiversity and provide us with extremely important environmental services, such as reducing the effects of floods.