Navarra has 140,689 hectares of natural grasslands (meadows and pastures), which is equivalent to about 13.5% of its territory. Those enclaves subjected to more extreme conditions of altitude, soil, or climate are known as mountain grasslands. The General Directorate of the Environment of the regional government launches each year a call for grants aimed at local entities to undertake improvement and conservation work on these high-altitude pastures, with the objective of "promoting their sustainable management and mitigating the effects of climate change," through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS).
In the call corresponding to this year, a budget of 222,273 euros has been allocated. Interested local entities can submit their applications until October 7. In the previous edition, eight local entities that are owners or managers in Salazar, Aezkoa, Erro, Aralar, Luzaide-Valcalos, or Monte Limitaciones, among others, benefited from these aids for a total amount of 197,905 euros, which allowed action on more than 9,400 hectares of pastures.
The aids cover both the costs associated with the installation and maintenance of infrastructures for livestock management, such as fences, watering points, water points, or chutes, as well as the expenses derived from the management work itself, whether with personnel hired by the local entity or through external companies. The financing of the drafting of Sustainable Pasture Management Plans (PGSP) and their reports, as well as the necessary soil analyses, is also contemplated.
The year 2026 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Grasslands and Pastoralists. With this commemoration, it is intended to raise awareness among citizens about "the decisive role that these ecosystems play for the planet." "Grasslands directly provide food for livestock worldwide and are a way of life for many millions of people. Indirectly, they also contribute to the resilience of the ecosystem by working against pollution, soil erosion, and the proper management of water. They are also refuges for biodiversity," emphasize the regional government.
At the UN COP17 Summit on the Fight Against Desertification, held in August in Mongolia, an international report was presented that highlighted "not only the importance but also the profitability of investing in the restoration of grasslands in general, ecosystems in which every dollar generates a return of between four and six dollars while, once degraded, it would be extremely costly to recover." According to this document, grasslands occupy around half of the Earth's land surface.
Extensive livestock farming, sustainability, and resilience
Mountain pastures are plant communities made up of herbaceous plants, grasses, and low shrubs, perfectly adapted to severe climatic conditions, such as shallow soil depth or the high altitude at which vegetation develops. These grasslands act as reservoirs of biodiversity by hosting a wide variety of species of flora and fauna, endemics, insects —including pollinators—, reptiles, small mammals, and birds.
Experts in the field emphasize that grazing plays a fundamental role as a nature-based solution (NbS) to conserve these ecosystems. The deep roots of the vegetation help to anchor the soil against erosion and assist in regulating the hydrological cycle, retaining rainwater and meltwater, recharging aquifers, and stabilizing flows. Additionally, they act as "carbon sinks" by retaining CO2 that is not released into the atmosphere. Livestock, for its part, controls the expansion of shrubs and reduces the load of plant fuel, which translates into a natural prevention against wildfires.
For this set of functions, "its mere existence contributes to mitigating climate change, offering various ecosystem services to the community."
Planning for sustainable management
These high-altitude grasslands provide food for livestock in extensive farming systems, "which contributes to the production of quality food." The movement of livestock favors the natural fertilization of soils through manure, which adds organic matter. "The landscape of these pastures today is inevitably linked to the uses of livestock farming, so the change in the productive orientations of livestock farms, with a continued decline in sheep grazing compared to other types of animals (cows, mares, etc.) and the rise of social and recreational use are altering their development conditions, which are also affected by global warming," they point out from the Government of Navarra.
Environment provides support for an "adequate development" of these resources through subsidies aimed at those who practice extensive livestock farming in these areas, in order to "facilitate that they can be managed sustainably and with a type of grazing that, besides being a means of livelihood, is also a cultural heritage." The basic management tool is the Sustainable Pasture Management Plan (PGSP), developed by specialist technicians knowledgeable about these ecosystems (pastologists).
These plans, with a validity of 5 years, organize the management, conservation, and improvement actions that must be carried out in the grasslands. The PGSP must also be adjusted to the Pastoral Management Plan (POP) of the area where the lands to be managed are located. To apply for the aids, it is essential to have a POP and ensure the involvement of the user livestock farmers, as well as to have a valid PGSP or, if it expires during the subsidy period, commit to presenting a new one.
When the pasture is located in a Special Conservation Area (ZEC), the proposed action must be compatible with the management plan of the corresponding protected space.