The initiative seeks to create a quality brand called “Naturea Cantabria”, among the tourism, hospitality and agri-food companies that are within the area of influence of the Network of Protected Natural Areas (ENP) of rural Cantabria.

The initiative seeks to create a quality brand called “Naturea Cantabria”, among the tourism, hospitality and agri-food companies that are within the area of influence of the Network of Protected Natural Areas (ENP) of rural Cantabria.

This network, made up of 36 ENPs on 155,000 hectares, includes by definition of Law 4/2006 on Nature Conservation of Cantabria the areas of the Natura 2000 Network, specifically 8 SPAs and 21 SCIs.

This quality mark aims to improve the products and services of companies, through criteria of quality, handling, environmental management, etc. that guarantee the optimal quality of the product offered and its sustainable production.

In this way, rural development and the creation of companies are encouraged, providing the producer with a tool that allows him to give greater quality and publicity to his products, allowing them to be sold at a more profitable price. In the same way, environmental sustainability is promoted by encouraging rural companies to comply with environmental and quality criteria, which will be established as a requirement to be able to obtain the “Naturea Cantabria” mark. In addition, the relations between human activities and Protected Natural Areas will be strengthened, improving their social acceptance.

The recipients of the project are entrepreneurs and workers in tourism services, hospitality and local agri-food SMEs (300 of the 500 members of the Rural Tourism Association of Cantabria) plus 50 SMEs in crafts and agri-food and 60 workers from SMEs and micro-SMEs or self-employed workers linked to these sectors.

The expected results are aimed at the training of 90 recipients even though the project reaches 1,200 workers, as well as the creation of the “Naturea Cantabria” quality brand and the adhesion to it of at least 25 SMEs in rural areas.