Three regions and a fauna and flora to preserve
For a long time now, Spain has been implementing a number of measures to protect the environment. And this applies equally to the arid regions of the south and the greener lands of the north. Behind the names of game reserves, nature parks or even national parks lies the State's desire to protect regions of great natural diversity, often prone to heavy tourism.
The Spanish Basque Country is a territory dominated by mountains and sea. Two powerful natural elements that offer a wealth of activities and discoveries for all who venture into the region. In the UNESCO-listed Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, for example, you'll find beautiful mountain roads offering breathtaking panoramic views. Over a wide area, you'll find marshes, cliffs and river plains. Not forgetting the splendid beaches that delight locals and tourists alike on sunny days, such as the pretty Laga beach, certainly one of the most beautiful sandbanks on the Biscayan coast.
The Navarre region also offers a wide variety of activities. Start with a stroll through the Irati forest, Europe's second largest beech-fir forest, before venturing into the region's many nature parks. The Señorío de Bértiz Nature Park offers a hike through vegetation representative of pre-Pyrenean valleys with an Atlantic influence. In the Urbasa and Andía Nature Park, you'll pass through wide meadows, deep beech forests and landscapes of imposing karst structures. In the midst of this natural backdrop lies a natural wonder: the Urederra spring, whose turquoise color, caused by the large quantity of calcium carbonate and minerals in the river, is a call to contemplation. As one of the region's water springs, the importance of preserving it is self-evident. As you hike, you pass from an Atlantic Navarra to a more Mediterranean one, and the influences are obvious when you look at the flora. And then, as if by magic, an extraordinary landscape emerges, that of the Bardenas Reales Natural Park. Classified as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the 42,500-hectare landscape is semi-desert. The various signposted walking routes reveal a lunar landscape, where soil erosion has formed mounds and ravines. The area is characterized by steppe-like landscapes, the result of its unique climate.
La Rioja may be the smallest of Spain's regions in terms of surface area, but it is nevertheless one of the richest in terms of landscape and biodiversity. The vineyards have a Mediterranean feel, but there are also mountain peaks and here and there, landscapes of arid ravines. The presence of seven rivers makes water a key element of the region. Around the Ebro, the Sotos del Ebro nature reserve covers almost 500 hectares and is home to several types of tree: elm, willow, poplar and ash. The creation of protected areas by the authorities also reflects the need to protect the living spaces of the three regions. As everywhere else in the world, maintaining species is essential to keeping the planet in perfect balance.
A desire to preserve the territory on a national and European scale
The area of Spain that includes the three regions of the Basque Country, Navarre and La Rioja has a great biological diversity, which is due in particular to its geographical location, at the confluence of the Alpine, Atlantic and Mediterranean regions. The government has made a political commitment to protect this extraordinary area, on the one hand through classification, and on the other, by inviting the autonomous communities to develop their competences around the preservation of natural areas. But the mobilization goes further, since some areas of these three northern Spanish regions are integrated into the European Natura 2000 network. Thus, 33% of the territory of La Rioja, 24% of the territory of Navarra and 23% of the territory of the Basque Country are concerned. This political commitment at European level aims to maintain the survival of threatened species and habitats in the long term. This obviously involves the preservation of natural areas, some of which are also classified as Special Protection Areas for Birds (or ZEPA, according to the Spanish initials) and Sites of Community Importance (or LIC, according to the Spanish initials).
Citizen and professional initiatives
There is also a growing environmental awareness among the inhabitants of the Basque Country, Navarre and La Rioja. A fine example is the majestic Amalurra estate in the Basque Country. The story is that of a group of women who got together in 1984 to talk about sustainable development. Today, 12 families live on the estate and welcome visitors to a hotel and restaurant that have been awarded the ecological label by the European Union. In a place in perfect harmony with nature, visitors are offered training workshops in emotional ecology. In Rioja, some wine professionals are also adapting to climate change and seeking to participate in environmental protection in their own way. At the Bodega de Campo Viejo, which is open to visitors, winemakers produce wine in an ecological winery. In keeping with their commitment to sustainable development, they use materials that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Combining architecture and environmentally-friendly wine production is a necessary initiative when the surrounding natural elements are vineyards, the Iberian mountain range in the distance and the Ebro River below.
