The Natura Network in the Canary Islands
What is the Natura 2000 Network?
The European Union law for the conservation of nature is based on two Directives (Europewide laws): the Birds Directive (1979) and the Habitat Directive (1992). These two directives aim at the protectivon of the natural environment and of the fauna and flora species, specifically through the creation of an European network of valuable sites called Natura 2000 .
In the areas belonging to the Natura 2000 Network all types of activities can be undertaken except those that could damage the species for which they have been designated.
Sites that belong to the Natura 2000 Network are:
The Special Protection Areas for ( SPA) according to the Birds Directive. In Spain there are already nearly 260 SPAs that cover over 5 million hectares (10,7% of the territory).
The Special Conservation Areas (SCA) according to the Habitat Directive. The SCAs will be designated at the end of a process still in course during which the EU member states propose lists of Sites of Community Importance (SCI).
