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The projects developed by the Nature and Man Foundation for years have had the aim of conserving heritage and protected natural spaces, as well as collaborating in the restoration of ecosystems and the recovery of endangered species of wild flora and fauna.

This project has carried out conservation actions in the following Natura 2000 Network areas: the Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) "Río Miera", "Montaña Oriental" and "Dunes of the Puntal and Estuary of Miera" and in the Site of Community Importance (SCI) "Montes de Valnera", contributing to the Habitats Directive and the improvement of priority species for the Strategic Plan for the Natural Heritage of Biodiversity. It has also sought to improve the conservation status of the environment, through the use of native breeds in danger of extinction and in disuse, as well as the improvement of the surface area of natural habitats and the demographic status of the species of interest in the Miera river basin. Likewise, these actions have been accompanied by a communication plan to disseminate the natural values of the landscape and territory as fundamental pillars, involving the local population and the social agents linked to the territory.

The general objective of this project has been the development of conservation and restoration actions in Natura 2000 Network areas in the Cantabrian‐Burgos border area, improving the connectivity of the Miera river basin.

The specific objectives were as follows:

• Restoration of the coastal habitat of Santa Marina Island and recovery of the coastal Atlantic dry heath (Erica vagans) in that habitat.
• Improvement of riparian forest habitat on the Miera River, including the alluvial forests of Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior and the gallery forests of Salix alba and Populus alba.
• Restoration of the montane forest habitat, formed by Atlantic acidophilous beech forests with undergrowth of Ilex and Taxus.
• Monitoring of entomological reserves with species included in the Habitats Directive, such as the European flying deer (Lucanus cervus) or the damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale), both classified as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and of "special interest" at the national level.
• Monitoring and eradication of invasive alien species in Natura 2000 Network Areas.
• Monitoring of salmon (Salmo salar) and other species in the Miera River within the Habitats Directive.
• Promote the use of traditional native breeds classified as endangered for the conservation of habitats through silvopastoral management (releasing livestock to graze and thus prevent certain areas from being affected by fires).

• To promote the ecological connectivity of the Miera river basin using mechanisms through the scales for ichthyofauna (set of fish species that inhabit the same biogeographic region), to demonstrate the defragmentation of habitats with key species, such as eel and salmon. To this end, the migration of salmon and trout was monitored, 320 kilograms of waste were removed from the river ladders and eel populations were reinforced.
• Restoration of montane forest habitat in the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) "Montaña Oriental" and in the Site of Community Importance (SCI) "Montes de Valnera", to contribute to the development of habitat conservation strategies as well as threatened and/or endangered species. The restoration included the planting of a total of 2,600 trees and the replacement of 1,410 trees, most of them species such as: Fagus Sylvatica, Betula alba, Sorbus aucuparia and Fraxinus excelsior.
• Restoration of coastal heathland (Erica vagans) to contribute to the restoration and conservation of natural habitats of community interest.
• Monitoring of the species European flying deer (Lucanus cervus) and damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale) in the entomological reserves of the Regata and Rubalcaba River Park.
• Improvement of the riparian forest habitat in the SAC "Río Miera" and contribution to the improvement of the ecological status of the river sections (some of them potential for the National Network of River Reserves), through the removal of a total of 2,450 kilograms of waste around the Miera River.
• Monitoring of Natura 2000 Network sites through surveillance mechanisms, for the prevention of entry and eradication of up to 15,310 kilograms of invasive alien species such as the chilca (Baccharis halimifolia) and the feather duster (Cortaderia selloana).
• Promote traditional native breeds classified as endangered, such as Carranzana sheep and Losino horses, for silvopastoral management on farms with Land Stewardship Agreements, covering up to 73 hectares. Silvopastoral management consists of releasing cattle on a certain farm so that they can graze and thus prevent these areas from being affected by fires, which are very recurrent phenomena in this area.
• Dissemination and communication of the project.

Thanks to the project, the conservation work of the Miera River environment has been continued, working on its different habitats and endangered species. Among the main milestones are the planting of more than 4,000 trees of native species such as rowan, birch and beech, the elimination of more than 15,000 kilograms of invasive species and the removal of 2,450 kilograms of waste around the Miera River.

On the one hand, it has contributed to the improvement of riverside habitats by planting 1,509 specimens of the native species Erica vagans, eliminating invasive exotic species such as the chilca (Baccharis halimifolia) and the feather duster (Cortaderia selloana) and collecting waste. The flying deer (Lucanus cervus) and the damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale) have also been monitored in the entomological reserves of Ceceñas and Rubalcaba.

In the montane habitat, the planting of 4,010 trees and the silvopastoral management of the farms with Land Stewardship agreements have been carried out over 73 hectares through the use of native breeds of livestock in danger of extinction (such as Carranzana sheep and Losino horses) and more than 4 kilometers of firebreaks have been opened. both very important measures for the fight against fires.

As for the river habitat, five trout have been monitored and salmon have been monitored, which has served to evaluate the effectiveness of the ladders installed in the first phases of the project, verifying that they need to be recurrently cleaned of branches and debris to avoid the obstruction of the dams in Liérganes and so that the species that inhabit the river (such as salmon and trout) can climb it comfortably. according to the entity.

Finally, the estuary and dune system habitat has been restored thanks to the elimination of invasive species such as the feather duster and the chilca and the recovery of the coastal heath on the island of Santa Marina.

Within the framework of the project, dissemination actions have also been carried out to publicize the initiative. Likewise, the involvement of the population has been promoted through guided tours of the Fluviarium museum, talks and volunteer activities.