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Catalonia · Spain

Knowledge and monitoring for a territory of high ecological value.

Montseny is one of the most biodiverse landscapes in Europe. Even so, it needs restoration.

Field technician taking a soil sample among the leaf litter in the Montseny forest.

Project details

Territory
Montseny Massif, Catalonia
Protection designations
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Natura 2000 network
EMFF's role
Nature Integrity Method™ reference site
Status
Ongoing · Field campaigns since 2026

The Challenge

Biodiversity loss is not always dramatic.
Sometimes it is invisible.

Fewer pollinators. Less connectivity. Simpler ecosystems.

Montseny is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and part of the Natura 2000 network, but it has not been immune to habitat degradation, land-use change and climate pressure.

Ecological value is not the same as ecological integrity. A landscape can host remarkable biodiversity while having lost resilience, connectivity and the capacity to adapt to change.

Protecting is no longer enough: restoring has become just as urgent.

Fieldwork

Heather in bloom in the Montseny understory.
Tree trunk covered in moss and fungi, an indicator of forest moisture and maturity.
Fern frond held in the hand during species identification.
Holm oak leaf examined during vegetation sampling.

The intervention

Measuring results against the ecosystem's true potential.

We work in Montseny as the reference site for the Nature Integrity Method™.

This means comparing the forest’s condition not with a generic average, but with what that specific ecosystem could become if it regained its integrity. The baseline is measured, not estimated.

  • Ecological habitat characterization and context-specific indicator selection
  • Georeferenced, repeatable field sampling
  • Acoustic wildlife monitoring
  • Environmental DNA in soil and water
  • Satellite imagery analysis and land cover change
  • Independent verification of reported results

Video

Montseny, told from the ground.

EMFF Montseny 2026 · 31 min

Let's work together

Let's make nature visible in the decisions that shape our future.

We work with organizations that want to better understand their relationship with natural systems and contribute to the development of rigorous, fair and scalable environmental solutions.