Geoconservation in the Autonomous Region of the Basque Country (Spain)

The Basque Country is an autonomous region located in the north-east of Spain and presents a high geodiversity index and international significant geoheritage. In this territory, there are two UNESCO designations: Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve and Basque Coast Global Geopark. Both bodies follow the path to sustainability taking into account nature management in a holistic way and complementing it within a consensual geoconservation strategy for the whole country. This strategy tries to reach an agreement between administrations and citizenship, arranging objectives and actions to achieve correct management of the Basque geosites. This paper aims to describe the actions within the framework of geoconservation that the Basque Country has carried out over the last 40 years, enabled by its exclusive competences in environmental, cultural and territorial planning. We aim to explain how, from local management, it is possible to implement a coordinated and effective policy in relation to geoheritage conservation and management.