At the initiative of the Mariñas-Betanzos Rural Development Group, the process for the declaration of this territory as a Biosphere Reserve began in 2009. This initiative has the support of the Xunta de Galicia, the Provincial Council of A Coruña and the 18 affected municipalities. The territory involved is structured by the Mero and Mandeo rivers, which constitute, respectively, the estuaries of A Coruña and Ares-Betanzos. There are 114,000 hectares that include coastal areas, coastal valleys and inland mountain ranges, extending from the coast to the border with the province of Lugo, where it connects with the Terras do Miño Biosphere Reserve. It includes 49 types of habitats of Community interest, 12 of which are classified as priorities by the Habitats Directive.

The drafting of the technical documentation for the presentation of the candidacy was contracted to CEIDA by the Provincial Council of La Coruña, within the Mandeo Project co-financed with ERDF funds. The proposal has been unanimously approved by the Spanish MaB Programme Committee and by the International Advisory Committee, and is expected to be definitively approved by the MaB Secretariat in Paris in May 2013.

This is an opportunity to consolidate the capacities of the new protected area by strengthening the commitment of the local population to the project and mobilising the socio-economic potential of the territory at the service of conservation.