The Biodiversity Foundation, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, organized last Saturday a conference on the occasion of the XX Anniversary of the LIFE Program, the largest instrument for environmental conservation in Europe, and in which Spain is the second European country with the most approved initiatives.

The Director General of Environmental Quality and Assessment and the Natural Environment, Guillermina Yanguas, spoke at the commemoration day of the European programme, which has made it possible to co-finance projects worth 2.5 billion euros since 1992, and which coincides with the activities on the occasion of the International Day of Biodiversity to be celebrated on 22 May and which is dedicated to Marine Biodiversity.

Between 1992 and 2006, the first three phases of the LIFE programme (LIFE I, II and III) were carried out, a period in which a total of 2,750 projects were implemented at European level. Between 2007 and 2013, the fourth phase called LIFE+ was developed, and the 2012 call is currently open.

“Spain is the second country in Europe in which the most LIFE projects have been approved since its creation in 1992, with a total of 511, only behind Italy, which has 582,” said the Director General.

The Biodiversity Foundation has participated in the development of thirteen LIFE projects, either as coordinator or partner of them, including the conservation of the Cantabrian capercaillie, in which the Autonomous Communities where there is habitat of the species (Galicia, Cantabria, Asturias and Castilla y León), the Picos de Europa National Park and entities such as SEO/BirdLife and Iberdrola collaborate.

In addition, the Foundation coordinates the most ambitious project developed so far in terms of generating knowledge of the marine environment: the LIFE+ INDEMARES “Inventory and designation of the Natura 2000 Network in marine areas of the Spanish State”.

Through this initiative, which has the participation of scientific entities and conservation NGOs, work is being done to achieve the declaration of new marine protected areas through their inclusion in the Natura 2000 Network.

It will also take on the management of a new LIFE+, in collaboration with 8 entities from Extremadura and Castilla y León, aimed at the conservation of desman. The populations of this river insectivore, endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, have experienced a significant decline and in some Autonomous Communities it is in danger of extinction.

On the day held today, in which different children’s activities have been offered, children have had the opportunity to see the model of an oceanographic research submarine, enjoy workshops such as storytelling, clowns, face painting and balloon twisting, as well as guided tours of the Botanical Garden.