The director of the Biodiversity Foundation, a public foundation of the Government of Spain, under the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, Ana Leiva, and the managing director of the Society of Basque Studies, José María Vélez de Mendizábal, have signed a collaboration agreement, for a total amount of 402,100 euros. This investment will be used to develop a project that promotes employment and good environmental practices in Aralar and Aizkorri.

The Biodiversity Foundation is the managing body of the European Social Fund (F.S.E.) and in 2008 it allocated 14,870,837.51 euros to finance 32 projects aimed at improving employment and the environment, through the Empleaverde Programme. One of these initiatives is the one that will be developed in the Basque Country.

In addition to the project of the Society of Basque Studies, the initiatives of the Healthy Life Association, the Forest Technology Centre of Catalonia, the National Association of Aggregate Manufacturers (ANEFA) and the Association for Spanish Forest Certification (PEFC Spain), will be aimed, in part, at workers in the Basque Country.

The objective of the project proposed by the Society of Basque Studies is the conservation and improvement of the pastures of the Aralar and Aizkorri-Aratz Natural Parks through the incorporation of good livestock practices in pastoral systems. The ultimate goal is to conserve and improve biological diversity, the landscape and natural habitats and to integrate the productive activity of human beings in mountain areas, achieving comprehensive and sustainable development.

Likewise, through this initiative, training courses and studies on good environmental practices in the management of grasslands will be developed, and advice will be provided to professionals in the sector.