The University of Cordoba, with the support of the Biodiversity Foundation, launched the initiative “Control and early warning of critical ecohydrological states in dehesa and high mountain areas using terrestrial photography”. The project has confirmed the potential of terrestrial photography for environmental monitoring relevant to the monitoring of global change in protected areas coupled to conventional monitoring stations, thanks to its use in two pilot areas: in the Sierra Nevada National and Natural Park (PNNSN, Granada and Almería) and in the Sierra de Cardeña y Montoro Natural Park (PNSCM, Córdoba), representative of Mediterranean enclaves of high mountains and pastures, respectively, both with high environmental value and unique in terms of biodiversity associated with their climatic-hydrological conditions.

This project has compiled relevant environmental information for the monitoring of global change in protected areas from images obtained with a conventional digital camera coupled to conventional monitoring stations. This information will make it possible to deepen the knowledge of ecohydrological processes in areas of environmental value and to establish effective adaptation actions, as well as to monitor their impact.