Salt Wetlands & steppes

At the very heart of Castilla La Mancha we find La Mancha Húmeda, which is a group of salt wetlands. All together with the steppes around them create a very traditional landscape and an oasis in terms of biodiversity. These steppe wetlands provide numerous resources and services to local populations, and activities such as agriculture, livestock, hunting or tourism are developed in their environment. Their values have not always been recognize and the lack of understanding of their importance led to changes in their natural conditions.

Land purchase is one of our nature conservation strategies, and it is aimed at protection habitats and flora & fauna species in the central area of the Peninsula. Once purchased, lands are restored. Thanks to this project lands has also been purchased to create a demonstrative farm, to develop and show innovate models of sustainable agriculture. Training, communication and other transfer activities will support our long term objectives.

In addition, land has been purchased to act as buffer zones around wetlands in La Mancha. A total of 15 ha have been purchased 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. 

And, as usual, we also develop educational activities to involve the local population in the conservation of the natural values of this area.