The Terres de l'Ebre Biosphere Reserve brand, despite thirteen years since its official declaration by UNESCO, remains largely unknown to many citizens, including those from the Ebre region itself. To address this, the Consorci de Polítiques Ambientals de les Terres de l'Ebre (Copate) has organized a congress in Horta de Sant Joan to revitalize the designation and encourage more businesses to join its quality seal.
To enhance the promotion of this designation, an economic collaboration has been established with the Tarragona Provincial Council (Diputació de Tarragona). Recently, the Tourism Board of the Provincial Council and Copate agreed on a joint strategy for the tourism promotion of Terres de l'Ebre under the Biosphere Reserve brand.
Concurrently, efforts are underway to expand the reserve to include the entirety of the Ribera d'Ebre region, which was not part of the initial declaration, thus encompassing all four Ebre counties. A new signage system for the natural and cultural attractions of the region, featuring this brand, has also begun to be installed.
The president of Copate, Ivan García, highlighted that the congress aims to "create synergies among all stakeholders in the territory and also with other reserves," with the goal of "generating ideas and strategies to advance the territory sustainably and make us a benchmark across the country."
García noted that the agreement with the Tarragona Provincial Council, announced by its president, marks "a new era," as financial constraints in recent years had limited the promotion of this internationally prestigious designation.
Biosphere reserve expert Xavier Cazorla emphasized that UNESCO recognizes Terres de l'Ebre as a "unique territory, full of natural, cultural, and identity values," but stressed the need to "create complicity among all agents, public and private, to turn it into a great asset."
Cazorla warned of the risk that the brand, "very powerful and internationally known," could "consume the content." He recommended focusing on "highlighting specific unique aspects" such as the Natural Parks of the Ebro Delta and Els Ports, or the local culture, to differentiate it from the 55 existing reserves in Spain.
He recalled that a biosphere reserve is a recognition, not a restriction, but insisted on the importance of "following a future vision, with a medium and long-term approach, that aligns with its values" and preserving the richness of ecosystems and traditional practices to prevent cultural loss.
Currently, 180 companies and entities bear the seal. One of them is the family olive business Blai Peris, from Bot. Its manager, Blai Peris López, explained that they joined because it "promotes values such as sustainability and territorial identity," which align with their commitment to the native empeltre olive and proximity products without chemical additives.
