Redeia and the Nature and Man Foundation are promoting the restoration of the forests of the Eastern Cantabrian Mountains using native species

Redeia and the Nature and Man Foundation (FNyH) are promoting the ‘Floating Forests’ project to restore the forests of the Eastern Cantabrian Mountains. The initiative involves planting 6,500 native trees and shrubs, boosting the local bioeconomy through a travelling exhibition, and revitalising the Liérganes Fluviarium Ecomuseum. The project includes volunteering initiatives and workshops to educate people about the importance of conserving the natural and socio-economic heritage of the Eastern Cantabrian Mountains.

The project’s area of intervention covers 14 municipalities in the Eastern Cantabrian Mountains: Ramales de la Victoria, Entrambasaguas, Astillero, Riotuerto, Miera, Liérganes, Espinosa de los Monteros, Vega de Pas, Arredondo, Ruesga, Soba, San Roque de Riomiera, Medio Cudeyo and Camargo. The activities will be carried out over a two-year period. 

Support for this initiative forms part of Redeia’s Comprehensive Impact Strategy, which promotes social, environmental and responsible investment initiatives to generate a positive impact in the region where its facilities are located.

The Eastern Cantabrian Mountains, a highly degraded area

The Eastern Cantabrian Mountain range is a highly degraded natural area which, during the 17th and 18th centuries, supplied the local factories and the coastal shipyards where the Spanish Navy’s ships were built. Today, the project aims to reverse that journey and return to the region the timber that centuries ago travelled across the sea in the form of ships, thereby creating floating forests in the Eastern Cantabrian Mountains.

To this end, the conservation and restoration of holm oak and deciduous forests, which traditionally predominated in these mountains, will be carried out. Furthermore, the project promotes the local bioeconomy through interpretive ecotourism and the development of new sustainable uses for the Cantabrian grasslands.

Redeia’s commitment to biodiversity   

Redeia’s Director of Sustainable Development, Laura Quintana, noted that with the signing of this agreement, “Redeia and its subsidiary, Red Eléctrica, are reinforcing their commitment to the care and conservation of the natural environment through the creation of shared value for all their stakeholders in the responsible development of their activities, in accordance with the company’s 2030 Sustainability Commitment and Corporate Responsibility Policy”. 

For his part, the president of the Nature and Man Foundation, Carlos Sánchez, sees this collaboration as a “unique opportunity” to continue bringing life back to the Miera Valley and the Eastern Mountains. And also to demonstrate, once again, that “the coexistence of humans and nature” (the organisation’s mission) is possible. 

With this project, Redeia is launching its new terrestrial forest initiative as part of the Comprehensive Impact Strategy. Redeia has developed a new model for engaging with forests to launch new projects that promote sustainable forest management and highlight the value of their ecosystem services. 

Download images from the visit here.