The Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) activities to educate and raise awareness about the marine sites of the Natura 2000 Network in the Spanish Mediterranean

To contribute to the overarching goal of the LIFE A-MAR NATURA 2000 project—enhancing the value of the marine sites of the Natura 2000 Network in the Mediterranean and helping to improve their conservation status—the Fundación Biodiversidad of MITECO has launched a capacity building and citizen science campaign. These initiatives are being implemented in coordination with the regional governments of Andalusia, the Region of Murcia, the Valencian Community, Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands, as well as with local entities/organizations. Their goal is to foster knowledge, participation, and active engagement in the conservation of the marine habitats included in the Natura 2000 Network.

The capacity building campaign includes 12 in-person workshops aimed at marine-related tourism professionals, such as tour operators, nature guides, diving companies, fishing tourism businesses, and the recreational boating sector. These workshops are designed to inform participants about the obligations and recommendations arising from the European Birds and Habitats Directives and other relevant regulations, as well as to promote best practices and ensure that tourism activities are compatible with marine conservation—particularly diving in marine protected areas.

To date, three workshops have been held in Cabo de Palos (Murcia), Sant Josep de Sa Talaia (Ibiza), and Cambrils (Catalonia), reaching a total of 24 tourism operators. The program will resume in September, after the high tourism season ends, to maximize participation.

In parallel, the project is launching a citizen science campaign with 15 workshops held in coastal sites across the Mediterranean in the five participating autonomous communities, all of which include marine Natura 2000 sites. These activities combine theoretical learning with hands-on experiences to train the public in observing, collecting, and recording data on marine biodiversity using digital tools and apps.

The theoretical content is aimed at presenting the LIFE A-MAR Natura2000 project and the fundamentals of citizen science. The hands-on component includes activities such as cetacean watching from boats, snorkeling, and guided nature walks to observe local flora and fauna—each tailored to the unique characteristics of the protected site.

Some of the Natura 2000 marine protected sites where these activities are taking place include: the Strait of Gibraltar (Cádiz), Calahonda (Málaga), Cabo de Gata-Níjar (Almería), Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas and Peña del Águila (Murcia), Montgó-Cap de Sant Antoni (Valencia), the Ebro Delta (Tarragona), the northern bays of Mallorca—Bays of Pollença and Alcúdia (Mallorca), and the northern coast of Menorca–Cap Negre (Menorca), among others.

The full schedule of activities can be found in the Fundación Biodiversidad website (agenda).

These actions aim to boost public knowledge and involvement in the conservation of the marine biodiversity and ecosystems within the Natura 2000 Network.

LIFE A-MAR

The LIFE A-MAR project is coordinated by the Italian Federation of Parks and Nature Reserves (Federparchi – Europarc Italy) and involves partners such as Triton Research, the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, and Lipu. Co-financers include the Asinara National Park, the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, and the Cinque Terre National Park. The project is funded with the financial support of the European Union’s LIFE Programme.