The candidacy of the eighth biosphere reserve of Galicia It will be promoted by the Xunta in 2025, so that half of the Galician territory has some form of protection. This proposal will focus on the maritime-terrestrial National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia, but will extend its area of influence from Porto do Son to Baiona.
In 2025, the surface, 92% of them maritime. In this way, if the proposal is approved, Galicia would have half of its territory protected for some figure of protection, compared to the current 42%.
The Galician biosphere
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Ángeles Vázquez, announced this measure in Madrid during her report on the Natural heritage of Galicia: our chestnut trees and chestnut trees, which is part of the Toma chestnut program, organized by the Casa de Galicia in Madrid to highlight this typical autumn product.
The representative of the Galician Executive highlighted that the community is thus advancing in the expansion of protected spaces, as it already did in 2021 by incorporating Ribeira Sacra, Sierras del Oribio and Courel as UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and in 2023 with the second World Xeopark in Galicia, Cape Ortegal.
In fact, in this commitment to consolidate Galicia as one of the autonomous communities with the greatest number and higher percentages of biosphere reservesthe Xunta allocates in the 2025 budgets an item of 80,000 euros to begin the processing of that eighth reserve of the biosphere and guarantee its dissemination.
The regional official stressed that the Xunta thus advances its philosophy of preserving and betting on green Galicia, as also demonstrated by the fact that it was the first community to approve the Green Infrastructure Strategy to value ecosystems and fight climate change. In this planning, cities and the creation of green paths in them are of special importance to renaturalize them and make them more pleasant for all citizens.
Chestnut trees and other unique trees
In relation to actions for protect tree populations such as chestnut treesÁngeles Vázquez recalled that the community has the Catalog of unique trees of Galicia, which includes a total of 22 chestnut trees and tree formations. In fact, after the recent addition of the large Sorribas chestnut tree, the catalog has 194 specimens and stands – a list that can be seen in the exhibition organized by the Casa de Galicia – that can benefit every year from aid for their conservation.
Precisely, among the notable trees is the Pumbariños chestnut tree, in the town hall of Manzaneda, which is considered the oldest in Galicia, estimating that it is around 500 years old. Furthermore, with its 12 meter perimeter, it is one of the largest diameter chestnut trees and is in good health.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change thanked the initiative promoted by the Casa de Galicia in Madrid to highlight the chestnut and chestnut trees with actions such as the informative experience created with Galiverso, in which you can virtually travel to the Catasós Forest, in Lalín, a unique mixed forest of 4.5 hectares that includes centenary specimens considered among the best in Europe both for its bearing and for its structure.
The regional official also praised the work of the director of the Casa de Galicia in Madrid, Luis Ramos, who is revitalizing this center by betting on initiatives to promote heritage values of Galicia such as the chestnut, a product with numerous implications, both gastronomic – fundamental for food in the past and for many current preparations – as well as cultural and artisanal.
It is from The expansion of biosphere reserve spaces is of utmost importance in Galicia, as well as in the rest of the national territory, to protect tree populations such as chestnut trees and ecosystems in general and thus be able to fight against climate change.