The Biodiversity Foundation is a partner of the LIFE+ European Capitals of Biodiversity project. This project is based on the promotion of the protection of nature and biodiversity in urban areas, and its main objective is to encourage and motivate the initiatives of local authorities in several European countries in the field of biodiversity conservation.

The Biodiversity Foundation is a partner of the LIFE+ European Capitals of Biodiversity project. This project is based on the promotion of the protection of nature and biodiversity in urban areas, and its main objective is to encourage and motivate the initiatives of local authorities in several European countries in the field of biodiversity conservation.

To this end, the project contemplates the organization and development of a contest in each of the partner countries to reward local initiatives whose purpose is to alleviate the loss of biodiversity.

In addition, a total of 40 workshops are planned for 2010 and 2011, with some 500 municipalities. The main objective of these workshops is to provide municipalities with the necessary tools to launch or intensify their efforts for the protection of biodiversity.

In Spain, 4 workshops have been coordinated during 2010 and another 4 will be organized during 2011. During this year’s workshops, issues related to the integration of biodiversity protection into municipal regulations and planning instruments were addressed; the design of measures for the conservation and protection of biodiversity; communication techniques for carrying out awareness-raising campaigns and financing instruments for local biodiversity protection initiatives.

The other participating entities belong to four countries and two others are at European level: the German Association for Environmental Protection (DUH), the Regional Centre for the Environment (REC) of Slovakia, the Office for the Coordination and Development of Lake Balaton (LBDCA) of Hungary, the French Regional Agency for Nature and Biodiversity, NatureParif, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, ICLEI and the Regional Office for Europe of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Currently, the deadline to apply for the “Capital of Biodiversity” contest is closed and the applications submitted are being evaluated. To select the winners, the Biodiversity Foundation will constitute a jury with five members representing different entities related to biodiversity, sustainability policies, the competences of city councils and citizen participation. During the month of September, the winners will be announced.

All municipalities are invited to apply for the second edition of the contest that will be organized during 2011.