Aramco Europe's support for Fundacion Global Nature (FGN)

At the very heart of Castilla La Mancha we find La Mancha Húmeda, a group of salt wetlands. All together with the steppes around them, they create a very traditional landscape and an oasis in terms of biodiversity.

Steppe wetlands provide numerous resources and services to local populations, and activities such as agriculture, livestock, hunting or tourism have developed in their environment. Their value is not always recognized and the lack of understanding regarding their importance has led to changes in their natural condition.

Land purchase is one of our nature conservation strategies, aimed at protecting habitats and flora and fauna species, in the central area of the Peninsula. Once purchased, such lands can be restored and thanks to this project land has also been used to create a demonstrative farm, to develop and show innovative models of sustainable agriculture. Training, communication and other transfer activities will support our long-term objectives.

In addition, purchased land acts as buffer zones around wetlands in La Mancha, a total of 15 hectares in addition to others already acquired by the Foundation. This result increases our main achievements in the protection of the most representative and threatened habitats - the sparto grass steppe and the Mediterranean salt steppes.