Land stewardship is a conservation tool based on voluntary agreements between landowners (individuals, entities, or public administrations) and organizations specializing in preserving and managing the natural, cultural, and landscape environment. These agreements allow for the sustainable use of a property while conserving its environmental values, without relinquishing ownership of the land.
In Galicia and Northern Portugal, land stewardship is gaining momentum thanks to the work of networks and organizations that promote projects, share knowledge, and facilitate local participation.
Examples of Initiatives and Projects
🔹 Local Workshops and Plans to Promote Land Stewardship
In the municipality of Pontevedra, the City Council has organized informational workshops on land stewardship, in collaboration with the Association for the Ecological Defense of Galicia (ADEGA), within the framework of the GreenGap cross-border project (Interreg Spain-Portugal). The aim is to raise awareness of this collaborative management tool and explore agreements, such as river stewardship for the ecological recovery of the Almofrei River.
🔹 Identification of areas for stewardship
The Pontevedra municipal government itself, within the framework of the Green Gap project, has developed a land stewardship plan to identify natural areas of ecological and heritage value where voluntary agreements can be promoted with landowners and organizations. Examples of work on riverbanks, such as those of the Almofrei River and its ecological connection with the Lérez River, are included.
🔹 Networks and cross-border cooperation
The Cross-Border Land Stewardship Platform fosters cooperation between entities in Galicia and Northern Portugal to improve the conservation of natural and landscape resources and facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices among stakeholders in both regions.
🔹 Concrete Actions Supported by Organizations
In some districts of Ourense, such as Laza and areas near the Támega River basin, organizations like the Galician Association for Land Stewardship (AGCT) have worked with communities and landowners to support stewardship agreements focused on the conservation of amphibians and threatened species, as well as the sustainable management of meadows and forests integrated into the Natura 2000 network.
Why is this tool important?
Land stewardship is growing throughout Spain and Europe as a participatory alternative for conserving natural areas outside of publicly protected areas, fostering the direct involvement of civil society, landowners, and government agencies. In Spain, the number of officially registered agreements has increased significantly in recent years, reflecting a growing interest in this conservation strategy based on voluntary collaboration among multiple stakeholders.
Learn more
If you are interested in seeing where these agreements are located or which organizations work near you, consult our map of agreements and the directory of organizations. These tools will help you better understand how land stewardship agreements work in practice in Galicia and Northern Portugal.
