The Monte Mediterráneo Foundation seeks with this project to highlight the economic and ecological viability of transhumance.

With this project, the Monte Mediterráneo Foundation seeks to highlight the economic and ecological viability of transhumance developed in the current socio-economic and landscape context. In this way, it aims to demonstrate the validity of transhumance to improve the economic profitability of sheep farms in the west of the peninsula and contribute to the economy and demography of the Cantabrian mountain villages.

In addition, the initiative will try to improve the Mediterranean and Cantabrian mountain pastures and pastures to favour the presence of certain threatened species and will serve to evaluate the ecological benefits generated by transhumance and its economic impact. It will also serve to know the carbon footprint using motor vehicles and to undertake possible complementary actions with a view to improving the economy and sustainability of extensive livestock activity.

Among the activities of this project, the following stand out:

• Gathering of 500 sheep from Andalusia and Extremadura and transfer to the Pyrenean pastures of the Cantabrian Mountains during the summer of 2014
• Assessment of the ecological impact of transhumance
• Assessing the economic impact (direct and indirect) of transhumance
• Estimation of the carbon footprint of transhumance using motor vehicles compared to the stay of livestock on farms consuming feed
• Analysis of possible complementary activities to transhumance and possible ways of marketing new products to improve the economic performance of livestock farms and transhumant activity.