Network of ecological corridors of the Basque Country: 7 years of integration in regional planning

Abstract

Gurrutxaga, M. (2012). Network of ecological corridors of the Basque Country: 7 years of integration in regional planning. Ecosistemas 21(3):113-114. Doi.: 10.7818/ECOS.210.21-3.17

Law 42/2007 on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity urges governments to provide mechanisms for achieving landscape connectivity, establishing or restoring ecological corridors, in particular between Natura 2000 spaces. A regional network of ecological corridors between Natura 2000 spaces with forest and agroforestry systems was delimited in 2005 in the Basque country. Also the interaction areas between these ecological corridors and urban land and the highways network, where implementing preventive and corrective priority measures, were identified. These ecological corridors have been adopted as reference information in environmental evaluations of plans and projects and have been integrated in various spatial planning instruments during the last 7 years.