From the countryside to the city, the cross-border dehesa brings the value of biodiversity to the capital.

Valeria López Peña

Madrid (EFEverde).- Large fields of production can also be vibrant reserves of biodiversity. This coexistence, known as a dehesa, is promoted by the Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre (Nature and Man Foundation), which leads an ecological corridor to connect lynxes, birds of prey, and other endangered species across the borders of Spain and Portugal, under a collaborative conservation model with farmers grouped under the Sustainable Dehesa label.

Azaba Bell Towers: Before and After

Campanarios de Azaba, a valley that is now green and vibrant, is the result of nearly ten years of work by the Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre (Nature and Man Foundation). On its 550 hectares, the Foundation launched an ambitious renaturalization project that includes the creation of reserves, the installation of ponds, and other measures to restore the soil and biodiversity.

Thanks to this effort, the area went from having just two species of dragonflies to nearly 28, establishing itself as a world-class ornithological reserve and headquarters for the Foundation.

The Foundation, founded in Cantabria in 1994, began operating in Salamanca in 2003 and has since expanded its operations through agreements with landowners in Spain and Portugal, managing around 15,000 hectares.

The Extremaduran dehesa: the balanced landscape where the Iberian pig preserves biodiversity

A cross-border environmental corridor

In the western Iberian Peninsula, on the border between Portugal and Spain, the Foundation protects the biodiversity of 10 protected areas in eight provinces, from Zamora to Badajoz. Among them is Arribes del Duero, a refuge for large birds of prey such as the griffon vulture, the Egyptian vulture, the Bonelli's eagle, and the black stork.

They also have agreements in pastures located in areas such as Campo de Azaba and Argañán, included in the Natura 2000 Network and protected as SPAs and SCIs, where holm oaks, cork oaks, grasslands, livestock, and the harvesting of fruits such as acorns and cork coexist.

To conserve these areas, the Nature and Man Foundation promotes the installation of more than 200 nests for black storks and 400 for black vultures, as well as feeding sites for other birds. In Extremadura, they support the release and monitoring of the Iberian lynx, using camera traps and geographic information systems to map its population and distribution.

Edwin Arrigui Torres, conservation coordinator at the Foundation, explains to EFEverde that they have collaborated with local governments, other Portuguese NGOs, and foundations such as Koba de Beira and Palombar, as well as international organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

A collaboration that “demonstrates the interconnectivity of species because species have no borders,” says Arrigui Torres.

This ecological corridor will be presented on October 13 at the World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. In parallel, the Foundation is coordinating a similar project in the Iguazú region, which connects Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil.

Conservation on 15,000 hectares

In the more than 15,000 hectares under stewardship agreements, the Foundation promotes multiple conservation initiatives. The creation of ponds, for example, favors the presence of species such as the black stork, the European pond turtle, and several species of dragonflies.

“In summer, the ponds are true oases because biodiversity is concentrated there, but in times of drought, they become a scarce and vital resource,” explains Carlos Sánchez, president of the Foundation. Some are designated for wildlife and others for livestock, ensuring access to clean water.

Environmental education and fire prevention

The Foundation also works in environmental education. In the Vieiru meadow, for example, a nature classroom and insect hotels will be installed, key tools for pollinators. They also collaborate with the University of Salamanca on studies on drought and pollination, and, together with the International Climate Research Foundation, are studying how species would behave under different future climate scenarios.

Preventive measures include fire detection cameras and the use of livestock to create natural firebreaks. On the Terra Capra farm, the so-called "firefighter goats" help keep the forest clean and prevent the spread of fire.

The Foundation also promotes sustainable agricultural practices. One of these is reducing plowing in favor of clearing, which promotes soil enrichment and avoids the use of products like ivermectin, which, as Sánchez explains, negatively affects dung beetles, important environmental bioindicators.

Sustainable Seal, a voluntary commitment to biodiversity

This beetle is the image of the DEHESA SOSTENIBLE seal, which brings together all these practices in a single certificate, advice, and support, to "support, with respect for biodiversity, those who choose to produce sustainably," says Arrigui Torres.

Carlos Sánchez clarifies that "collaboration is voluntary," since as a private association, they lack legislative authority. "The agreements work because those who participate do so based on their own values ​​and commitment, committing to our best practice guidelines," he adds. Therefore, the certification audit is carried out through regular visits and collaboration with the Foundation on restoration and protection initiatives.

One of the participating companies is Koru, a producer of spirulina (an algae considered a superfood due to its high nutritional value). Its co-founder, Mariantonia Ríos, tells EFEverde that she learned about the project thanks to an open call in the Sierra de Gata.

“I liked it because we understood we could collaborate toward truly responsible production,” explains Ríos, excited by the Foundation's visit to restore the dragonflies on her farm and to participate in the new store featuring the label's products, which will be open for a year on Fuencarral Street (Madrid).

For his part, Luis Miguel Martín, manager of the Òleosetin olive oil store, believes that the store and the seal help "show the customer what your product has and give them the power to choose you," because "the product should be worth more than the price. Its history and how we make it have that irreplaceable added value." EFEverde

Products from the dehesa arrive in Madrid to establish the population and protect biodiversity.