The Biodiversity Foundation, a public foundation of the Government of Spain, under the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, celebrates its tenth anniversary today. It was created by the Government of Spain on 22 December 1998. Its activity is carried out in the field of conservation, study and sustainable use of biodiversity, as well as international development cooperation.

The Biodiversity Foundation promotes the protection of nature and sustainable development, health and quality of life. It supports the policies of the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, and its work is structured around five strategic lines, which include the preservation of natural heritage and biodiversity, the promotion of sustainable development of rural areas, the fight against climate change, the conservation of the marine environment and international cooperation.

During this decade, this institution has collaborated in 892 projects for the conservation, study and sustainable use of natural resources, through which 1,550,000 citizens have been reached: workers, professionals in the environmental sector, students, children and adults. This effort has been shared with 598 national and international organizations: NGOs in the environmental sector, government agencies, chambers of commerce, business associations, universities and academia in general, foundations, trade unions, technological institutes and research centers.

Likewise, during this time, the Biodiversity Foundation has contributed to the conservation of 62 threatened species of marine and terrestrial fauna and flora, for the preservation of more than one hundred natural spaces in Spain and in 61 other countries.

Among the actions carried out during this decade are the collaboration with local corporations in their policy of recovery and sustainable use of biodiversity through the creation of the Network of Local Governments + Biodiversity 2010. Support for the creation of the Sustainability Observatory in Spain and the promotion of the dissemination of its important conclusions. It has also restored and enhanced assets of cultural and landscape interest and has participated in the recovery of natural paths.

The “Taking Flight” Program, launched together with SEO/BirdLife, for the recovery of Iberian imperial eagle populations is yielding excellent results. Work is also being done on the restoration of ecological corridors for the survival of the brown bear, on the conservation of the Cantabrian capercaillie and on the elimination of poisoned baits as a way to save unique specimens of vultures and other birds. Scientific research is encouraged in the marine environment. An example is the ambitious Life+ INDEMARES project, for the Inventory and designation of the Natura 2000 Network in marine areas of the Spanish State, which will begin on 1 January.

Two of the objectives of the Biodiversity Foundation are awareness and training. In this sense, it has the Master’s Degree in Environmental Management and Administration, a consolidated post-graduate training space, which is already in its ninth edition and which, for the second consecutive year, is a degree of the National University of Distance Education, in collaboration with the Menéndez Pelayo International University.

On the other hand, as the managing body of the European Social Fund, the Biodiversity Foundation also co-finances training and awareness-raising plans for workers and small entrepreneurs. From 2000 to 2006, it was through the Operational Program “Entrepreneurship and Continuous Training”, and currently it is through the Empleaverde Program. More than 220,000 workers, half of them women, have received training during these years.

Another example of this training and awareness-raising work is the Oxygen Project, which creates training spaces in Spanish prisons, so that inmates from different centres have the opportunity to develop professional skills linked to the environment, while opening up ways for their future social reintegration.

THE BIODIVERSITY FOUNDATION IN 2009

In 2009, the foundation will allocate 31 million euros for the conservation of natural heritage and to promote the sustainable development of rural areas. Within the action plan for 2009, the important provision of 30 programs stands out. Of these, three will have a strong impact on job creation: the Empleaverde Programme, with an endowment of 4.7 million euros, financed by the European Social Fund; the environmental training project for workers in sectors in crisis, endowed with 300,000 euros; or the Oxygen Project, for professional training and environmental training in prisons, with an endowment of more than 700,000 euros.

Looking ahead to next year, the Biodiversity Foundation will continue to participate closely with different groups in more than 300 projects in collaboration with the business sector, universities, associations and foundations, trade unions and NGOs.

With regard to international cooperation, collaboration with Africa will be intensified and the budget allocated to that continent will be doubled. Advocacy is sought in countries such as Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal and Cape Verde, where projects focused on top priority basic needs such as biodiversity, water and sanitation or sustainable production of agriculture and livestock, forest resource management and fisheries and aquaculture will be supported.