On the eve of International Earth Daywhich is celebrated every 22 April, the Foundation for Participatory Sustainability (FUNPASOS) highlights its work as a land stewardship organisation. This approach, based on voluntary agreements built on trust between landowners, managers and conservation organisations, has established itself as one of the most effective strategies for protecting biodiversity, improving the profitability of agricultural and livestock farms, and resolving environmental conflicts, generating direct benefits for farmers, livestock breeders, rural residents and society as a whole.
The Land stewardship It is defined as a set of strategies and tools that involve landowners and land users in the conservation and responsible use of natural, cultural and landscape assets. Its main strength lies in the fact that it promotes ongoing collaboration, shared responsibility and the generation of mutual benefits. As FUNPASOS highlights, this approach has proven to be the most effective way of actively involving landowners, as conservation generates economic, social and environmental benefits for all the inhabitants of the area.
Conservation of agro-steppe habitats and threatened bird species
FUNPASOS is actively involved in the campaign to raise awareness and provide environmental education about steppe birds in partnership with ENDESA. The steppe habitats where this group of birds lives are vital in regions such as Extremadura and Andalusia, which are home to the largest population of these species in Europe. However, they face threats such as the intensification of agriculture, rural depopulation and the loss of habitat due to the construction of new infrastructure.
Through stewardship agreements with farmers and livestock owners, FUNPASOS implements specific agri-environmental measures on plots of land where threatened species such as the common lark (Tetrax tetrax), the Eurasian bustard (Otis tarda), the Iberian sandpiper (Pterocles alchata), the Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus) or the ricotí lark (Chersophilus duponti):
– Delaying the cereal harvest to protect the chickens.
– Planting legumes and leaving crop residues to provide food and shelter.
– Mantenimiento de charcas estivales y barbechos tradicionales.
– Low livestock density and biological pest control using nesting boxes for birds and bats.
– Signage on fences to prevent collisions.
These commitments not only halt the decline in the populations of key species, but also improve the profitability of farms and promote nature tourism.
In the La Albuera Plains and Wetland Complex Special Area of Conservation (SPA), in collaboration with ENI Plenitude España, FUNPASOS has restored the traditional agricultural landscape (cereals, legumes and fallow land). The results are already evident: recent surveys have recorded the presence of common lark ( in pursuit, Eurasian bustard, Montagu’s harrier, Iberian sandgrouse and European roller (Coracias garrulus).
The Network of Managed Pastures: coexistence between livestock and wildlife
In 2024, FUNPASOS launched the project “Network of Managed Pastures for Coexistence with Wildlife”, part of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s Humanity-Wildlife Initiative. Focusing on the livestock-farming region of Valencia de Alcántara (Cáceres) – which has the largest area of pastureland and the highest prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in Extremadura – the project aims to resolve conflicts between extensive livestock farming and wildlife through dialogue, governance and the transfer of scientific knowledge.
Highlights of the activities included round-table discussions with livestock farmers, hunters, vets and researchers, as well as workshops on the transfer of best practices. The conclusions point to Land Stewardship as the ideal approach for establishing agreements, strengthening biosecurity measures, conducting epidemiological studies and running awareness campaigns, all tailored to the socio-economic realities of the dehesas.
An expanding network and a secure future
Thanks to these efforts, the Network of Protected Areas FUNPASOS now exceeds 14,000 hectares. The organisation has established itself as a leading player in Extremadura and is involved in the 2023–2027 Strategy of the Land Stewardship Platform (coordinated by the MITECO Biodiversity Foundation).
In a world where intensive farming, climate change and biodiversity loss threaten ecosystems, the Land Stewardship initiative demonstrates that conservation can go hand in hand with economic activity and social well-being.
On 22 April, to mark International Earth Day, FUNPASOS invites landowners, managers and members of the public to join this collaborative network. Because looking after the land is not just an environmental obligation: it is the best investment in a sustainable future for everyone who lives here.
