The Biosphere Reserve Office coordinates the management of the territory recognised by UNESCO in 1995. Its role is to safeguard the balance between the conservation of the natural and cultural values of Sierra de las Nieves and the sustainable development of its municipalities, acting as a link between the region, public administrations and UNESCO’s MaB (Man and the Biosphere) Programme.
The Office promotes environmental education programmes, sustainability projects, socioeconomic development initiatives, and the promotion of products and services associated with the Biosphere Reserve brand.
The Centro de Información a la Mujer (CIM) is a free public service operating throughout the region that provides comprehensive support to women in Sierra de las Nieves. It offers information, advice and assistance on equality issues and acts as a key support service in cases of gender-based violence.
It is intended for all women living in the municipalities of the Mancomunidad who are experiencing inequality or vulnerability —in the workplace or in cultural, social, educational, economic or political contexts due to their gender— as well as those who are or may become victims of gender-based violence, including the children and minors in their care.
The CIM promotes the Consejo Comarcal de Igualdad of the Mancomunidad, a participatory body that coordinates equality policies throughout the territory and conducts an annual review of the centre’s activities.
The Mancomunidad promotes Sierra de las Nieves as a sustainable tourism destination, highlighting its status as a World Biosphere Reserve and National Park. It coordinates tourism information throughout the region, the joint promotion of the municipalities’ resources and the development of environmentally responsible tourism that creates opportunities for the local population.
The Mancomunidad develops training and employment promotion programmes aimed at improving job opportunities for the region’s population, with particular attention to strategic local sectors such as the agroforestry sector. These initiatives promote professional qualifications, access to employment and entrepreneurship in Sierra de las Nieves.
The Mancomunidad’s communications department keeps the public informed about institutional activities, services and initiatives throughout the region. It manages the website, social media channels and media relations, ensuring transparency and the dissemination of information about everything taking place in Sierra de las Nieves.
The Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) is the national project that sets out the roadmap for modernising the Spanish economy and addressing the challenges of the coming decade. Inspired by the 2030 Agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, it builds on previous assessments and work, as well as on the regulatory and economic measures adopted in recent months to mitigate the impact of the public health emergency and adapt to the new post-pandemic scenario, in which tourism demand has changed. The PRTR entails a substantial volume of public and private investment over the coming years, to be financed through the Next Generation EU funds, the European recovery fund. Specifically, the Recovery and Resilience Facility will enable Spain to receive up to €140 billion, of which approximately €72 billion will be disbursed as grants from this fund.
To enable the implementation of Component 14 of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), the Sustainable Tourism Strategy for Destinations was developed. It was endorsed at the Sectoral Conference on 28 July 2021 and establishes cooperation mechanisms between the national, regional and local public administrations. The call for applications for the Extraordinary Programme for Sustainable Tourism in Destinations 2021–2023 is a response to this collaborative approach, with its operational implementation taking the form of the Territorial Plans for Sustainable Tourism in Destinations.
The “Sierra de las Nieves National Park” Sustainable Tourism Plan for Destinations, approved with a total budget of €3,915,000 by the Spanish Government’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and the Regional Ministry of Tourism, Regeneration, Justice and Local Administration of the Andalusian Regional Government, will be implemented in the municipalities within Sierra de las Nieves National Park, designated as such under Law 9/2021 of 1 July. The plan will be managed directly by the Sierra de las Nieves Association of Municipalities and will implement 33 initiatives designed to transform the current tourism model. These initiatives are distributed across four strategic pillars: Green and Sustainable Transition, Improving Energy Efficiency, Digital Transition and Competitiveness.
Further information is available at the following links:
Mancomunidad 
