Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre

What Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre does

Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre (FNYH) is a Spanish non-profit ecological conservation foundation founded in 1994 and headquartered in El Astillero, Cantabria. Its core mission is to advance coexistence between humans and nature through species reintroduction (Iberian chamois, black vulture, black stork), habitat restoration, ecological corridor creation, environmental education, and carbon sequestration monitoring. The foundation manages 16,267 hectares of territory under custody across Cantabria and the Oeste Ibérico, operates a forest nursery producing approximately 300,000 native plant specimens annually, and runs five interpretation centers (Fluviarium, Centro Etnobotánico, Casa de la Naturaleza) that generate visitor and educational revenue. FNYH also manages the 600-hectare Reserva Biológica Campanarios de Azaba in Salamanca and, since 2024–2026, has extended operations into Argentina (Atlantic Forest conservation in Iguazú) and Tanzania (a 10,000-acre community reserve adjacent to Tarangire National Park).

The organization's business model is hybrid non-profit: it receives individual donations and inheritances (qualifying for a 25% IRPF tax deduction), corporate social responsibility contracts including carbon and hydrological footprint compensation agreements with private companies across ~15,000 hectares, EU co-financing through five coordinated LIFE projects plus PRTR/NextGenerationEU funding via MITECO and Fundación Biodiversidad, interpretation center admissions and educational program fees, sales from the Vivero Forestal, and ecotourism lodging at Campanarios de Azaba. Its primary customer segments are public institutions (regional governments, municipalities, national ministries), private companies seeking ESG offsets, schools and educational groups, and individual donors.

FNYH is governed by a Board of Directors led by founder Carlos Sánchez Martínez (President since 1994), with Henk Smit as First Vice President (joined 2013) and Josep Oriol Bosch as Second Vice President, a private equity professional with nature-based investment expertise. The foundation is registered in the Spanish Foundation Registry (number 81), has been an IUCN member since 1997, and has received multiple recognitions including the 2018 BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation and a 1998 UN Dubai Prize nomination. It coordinates with partners including the Vulture Conservation Foundation, ATNatureza, Universidad de Salamanca, the Maasai Emboreet community, and the European Solidarity Corps program.

Name

Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre

Legal name

Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre

Website

https://fnyh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre is a Spanish non-profit ecological conservation foundation founded in 1994 that restores habitats, reintroduces endangered species, and manages 16,267 hectares across Spain, Portugal, Tanzania, and Argentina for public institutions, corporate ESG clients, schools, and individual donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Seed Collection, Processing & Storage (Provenance/Genetics) (AFAMACAB), Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK)

Keywords

• Ecological conservation services
• Biodiversity restoration programs
• Environmental education centers
• Carbon offset services
• Habitat restoration projects

Headquarters

HQ city

El Astillero

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Corporate Social Responsibility Programs: The foundation receives one-time and recurring donations from individuals and corporations. Companies collaborate within RSC programs and organize corporate environmental volunteering days.
2. Carbon and Hydrological Footprint Compensation: FNYH compensates carbon and water footprints for private companies (both national and international) through conservation projects on approximately 15,000 hectares under private conservation and 1,500 hectares of own Mediterranean forest.
3. Environmental Education and Visitor Services: The foundation operates interpretation centers (Fluviarium, Centro Etnobotánico, Casa de la Naturaleza) that generate revenue through visitor admissions and educational programs for schools and adults. Income is fully reinvested into the centers and conservation activities.
4. Forest Plant Sales: The Vivero Forestal produces approximately 300,000 native plant specimens annually and sells over 100 species to the public, supporting reforestation actions.
5. Ecotourism at Biological Reserves: The Reserva Biológica Campanarios de Azaba offers lodge accommodations for visitors seeking unique ecotourism experiences in Spain.
6. Inheritances and Legacies: The foundation accepts inheritances and legacy donations as part of its fundraising strategy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre is a non-profit conservation foundation that restores ecosystems, reintroduces endangered species, manages biological reserves and interpretation centers, produces native plants for reforestation, delivers environmental education programs, and provides carbon and hydrological footprint compensation services to private companies through custody agreements covering approximately 15,000 hectares. It also offers ecotourism at its biological reserves and accepts individual donations, inheritances, and corporate CSR contributions.

Product overview

Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre operates as a non-profit conservation organization founded in 1994, offering a portfolio of environmental education centers, biological reserves, and conservation projects rather than a unified software product. Their services include five interpretive centers (Ecomuseo-Fluviarium, Centro Etnobotánico El Pendo, Vivero Forestal, Casa de la Naturaleza Marisma de Alday, and Reserva Biológica Campanarios de Azaba), a carbon offset program (Banco de Carbono), and various conservation initiatives spanning national projects (Anillo Verde de Santander, Anillo Verde de Ponferrada, Bosques Flotantes, LIFE Aegypius Return) and international operations in Africa (Reserva Comunitaria Emboreet, Tanzania) and South America (Selva Atlántica in Iguazú).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ecomuseo-Fluviarium de la Montaña y Cuencas Fluviales Pasiegas Environmental education center in Liérganes, Cantabria, dedicated to the conservation and dissemination of the natural and ethnographic heritage of the Pasiego and Eastern Mountains and their river basins. Open to visitors, schools, and families through admissions and guided tours.
• Centro Etnobotánico Bosques del Anillo Verde - El Pendo Ethnobotanical center featuring a rustic building with green roof and attached greenhouse showcasing native vegetation, serving as an educational facility about forests in the Green Ring area of Cantabria.
• Vivero Forestal de Planta Autóctona Forest nursery producing approximately 300,000 native specimens annually (birch, beech, oak, holm oak, holly, ash, and over 100 species) for reforestation actions to preserve botanical diversity in the Cantabrian region. Sells plants to the public.
• Reserva y Estación Biológica Campanarios de Azaba 600-hectare biological reserve and research station in Salamanca, home to exceptional fauna and flora including black vulture, black stork, and golden eagle, situated in the western Iberian biodiversity hotspot. Offers lodge accommodations for ecotourism visitors.
• Casa de la Naturaleza 'Humedales del Anillo Verde-Marisma de Alday' First interpretive center built in 2000, serving as the hub for the Alday Marsh wetland recovery project with a 4km hiking trail and two observation shelters. Hosts environmental education programs.
• Banco de Carbono de FNYH Carbon offset and compensation service that calculates annual CO2 sequestration through native species plantations, with documented carbon storage data from Campanarios de Azaba (185,301 t CO2 stored) and Sierra de Gata (429,090.1 t CO2 stored). Used by private companies for carbon footprint compensation.
• Conservación de la Selva Atlántica en Iguazú Conservation project for Atlantic Forest biodiversity in the Iguazú region, including habitat restoration, connectivity improvement, threatened species monitoring, and community sustainable development support.
• Reserva Comunitaria Emboreet 10,000-acre community reserve adjacent to Tarangire National Park in Tanzania, developed in collaboration with the Maasai Emboreet people, supporting coexistence between nature conservation and traditional pastoral activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 614,391 tonnes of CO2 stored across Campanarios de Azaba and Sierra de Gata biological reserves over 30 years
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and CeUICN (Spanish Committee)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997FNYH is an active member of IUCN and the Spanish Committee since 1997. Carlos Sánchez, president of the foundation, was president of CeUICN for two periods between 2008 and 2014, giving strong impetus to Spanish influence in IUCN and international cooperation.
• Ayuntamiento de CamargocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation operates in collaboration with the municipality of Camargo through agreements for the management of the Marisma de Alday, Casa de la Naturaleza, and the Fluviarium center.
• Gobierno de CantabriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe regional government of Cantabria co-finances the Fluviarium center and other conservation activities through its environmental department.
• Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico (MITECO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMITECO co-finances FNYH activities through programs like Bosques Flotantes and LIFE Aegypius Return, funded via the Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia (PRTR) and NextGenerationEU.
• Fundación BiodiversidadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Biodiversity Foundation supports the Bosques Flotantes project as part of the PRTR funded by the European Union NextGenerationEU.
• Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVCF coordinates the LIFE Aegypius Return project for black vulture conservation across Spain and Portugal. FNYH participates as one of eight entities in this cross-border initiative.
• Associação Transumância e Natureza (ATNatureza)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFNYH has collaborated with ATNatureza for over ten years on conservation spaces that constitute the main reserve for the Black Vulture in the center-west of the Iberian Peninsula.
• Universidad de SalamancaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Salamanca conducted a scientific study to calculate carbon retained in Campanarios de Azaba and Sierra de Gata reserves.
• Centro de Investigación de Medio Ambiente de CantabriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-finances the activities of the Fluviarium and the Centro Etnobotánico.
• European Union (LIFE Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFNYH has coordinated five LIFE projects, the EU's main program for biodiversity conservation. Key projects include LIFE Anillo Verde de la Bahía de Santander and LIFE Aegypius Return.
• Private Companies (carbon and water footprint compensation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational and international private companies enter into agreements with FNYH for carbon and water footprint compensation through conservation projects on approximately 15,000 hectares under private conservation.
• Eroski, INEM, Ministerio de Medio AmbienteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating entities in the construction of the Casa de la Naturaleza building in 2000.
• FEVE (Ferrocarril de Via Estrecha)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFEVE (now part of Renfe) collaborated in supporting the Fluviarium center and provides train access to the Marisma de Alday.
• Caja Madrid (Obra Social)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial work foundation that backed the Fluviarium initiative.
• MerkamuebleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBacker of the Fluviarium center initiative.
• Pueblo Masái EmboreetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFNYH collaborates with the Emboreet Masai community in Tanzania on a conservation project that promotes coexistence between nature and the Masai people, including potential ecotourism development.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ATNatureza (Associação Transumância e Natureza): Portuguese NGO focused on transhumance routes and vulture conservation in the Oeste Ibérico, a long-standing partner of FNYH (10+ years). Same transboundary conservation model, same Iberian focus.
• SEO/BirdLife: Spain's leading bird and biodiversity NGO with national membership, conservation projects, and IBA programmes. Directly comparable to FNYH on Iberian bird conservation (black vulture, LIFE Aegypius overlap) and habitat restoration; both operate from Spain with overlapping government and EU funding sources.
• Fundación Global Nature: Spanish conservation foundation focused on biodiversity, habitat restoration, wetlands, and natural capital. Closely matched operating model (foundation, multi-site reserves, EU project coordination) and geographic scope within Spain.
• Fundación Oso Pardo: Spanish foundation dedicated to Cantabrian brown bear conservation. Same Cantabrian geography, same species-reintroduction model (FNYH has reintroduced Iberian chamois), same non-profit foundation structure.
• Vulture Conservation Foundation: European foundation coordinating vulture conservation programmes including LIFE Aegypius Return, in which FNYH participates. Same species focus, same EU funding channel, same project-partner model.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO operating across biodiversity hotspots with major footprint in South America and Africa, where FNYH has newly expanded (Argentina Atlantic Forest, Tanzania). Comparable geography and biodiversity-corridor model at much larger scale.
• BirdLife International: Global alliance coordinating bird conservation across 100+ country partners including SEO/BirdLife. Larger umbrella organisation overlapping with FNYH on avian conservation and IBA work in Iberia and East Africa.
• Fauna & Flora International: UK-based international conservation NGO focused on species recovery and habitat protection across multiple continents, including Europe and Africa. Overlaps with FNYH on species reintroduction, IUCN-linked grant programmes, and multi-country reserve management.
• WWF España: Spanish branch of the global WWF network, operating across broader species, habitat, and policy domains. Larger scale and broader portfolio than FNYH but overlaps on corporate partnerships, conservation advocacy, and species programmes in Spain.
• The Nature Conservancy: One of the world's largest conservation organisations with land trust and habitat banking programmes. Comparable activities around land stewardship, carbon sequestration, and private-conservation agreements; much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre