Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura

What Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura does

Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura (XCN) is a Catalan environmental nonprofit association founded in 2002 and headquartered in Vic (Barcelona), Spain, operating as the recognised coordination body for land custody (custòdia del territori) in Catalonia. The organisation serves a 205-member network spanning environmental NGOs, foundations, local administrations, universities, research centres, and companies, providing the legal frameworks, technical guidance, and digital infrastructure for private and public land conservation agreements. As of the 2021 inventory, XCN tracks 796 custody initiatives covering 41,744 hectares, managed by 74 custodian entities.

XCN's product portfolio is anchored by four digital platforms: the Visor dels Acords de Custòdia de Catalunya (an interactive web-based GIS viewer providing real-time public access to land custody agreements with statistical and cartographic outputs), the Visor de Biodiversitat de Custòdia (a biodiversity monitoring viewer for conserved spaces), voluntariatambiental.cat (a volunteering portal publishing ~1,000 annual environmental volunteer actions with entity registration and newsletter distribution), and Donant Ambiental (a donation platform operated since 2018 that channels private and corporate giving to conservation projects). The Inventari de Custòdia del Territori — a periodic comprehensive catalogue of land custody initiatives published since 2003 — complements these platforms as a long-form open-data asset. Operational initiatives include the Custòdia Municipal programme for local administrations, the Ultra Clean Marathon sporting/cleanup event, the Taula Salut i Natura platform linking nature and health, and the XII Premi Lluís Martí al Valor Socioambiental annual award.

XCN's business model is non-commercial: it derives operating funding from member fees, public subsidies (notably the conveni marc with Generalitat de Catalunya and support from Diputació de Barcelona), private donations via Donant Ambiental, corporate alliances, and a steady cadence of European project grants (LIFE and Erasmus+ programmes including LIFE ELCN, LIFE Biorgest, LIFE ENPLC, Resifarms, and LIFE CUSTODIA). The organisation's go-to-market combines direct-to-municipality technical advisory, community-led engagement through its member network, and self-service online access to its public-interest data tools. With 22 employees, XCN is a small but institutionally embedded coordination body whose strategic significance derives from network density, regulatory standing, and data ownership rather than scale.

Name

Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura

Legal name

Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura

Website

https://xcn.cat

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

XCN (Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura) is a Catalan nonprofit founded in 2002 that coordinates land custody across Catalonia through a 205-member network, four digital platforms (Visor dels Acords de Custòdia, voluntariatambiental.cat, Donant Ambiental, biodiversity viewer), and EU LIFE programme projects covering 41,744 hectares.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Forest Certification, Compliance & Chain-of-Custody Support (AFAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA)

Keywords

• Land stewardship services
• Biodiversity monitoring
• Conservation networking
• Environmental volunteerism
• Ecosystem preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Vic

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership fees and public institutional subsidies: XCN operates primarily as a non-profit association funded through membership fees, public grants and subsidies, private donations via its Donant Ambiental platform, and project-based EU funding. The organisation publishes its annual accounts and transparency documentation publicly. Public financing includes agreements with the Generalitat de Catalunya's Department of Territory and Sustainability, and support from the Diputació de Barcelona. Private revenue includes donations channelled through Donant Ambiental.
2. Private donations and fundraising campaigns: XCN receives donations through the Donant Ambiental platform (operated by XCN since 2018), which facilitates contributions from individuals and companies to environmental entities and conservation projects in Catalonia. The platform also runs thematic campaigns including Giving Tuesday and the 'Dóna't per la Natura' campaign.
3. European project grants (LIFE, Erasmus+): XCN participates in and receives EU funding through multiple LIFE programme and Erasmus+ projects, including LIFE CUSTODIA, LIFE ENPLC, LIFE ELCN, LIFE Biorgest, Resifarms, and Ruralization. Project budgets are managed by XCN and partner organisations.
4. Advisory services and training: XCN provides paid environmental volunteering guidance, advisory services to municipalities on land custody agreements, and organises training and capacity-building activities for conservation entities. Some services are offered in exchange for fees or in-kind support.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

XCN is a non-profit member network that promotes and coordinates land stewardship (custòdia del territori) across Catalonia by connecting landowners, conservation NGOs, municipalities, and citizens. It delivers this through authoritative GIS viewers of stewardship agreements, a citizen volunteer portal, a donation platform (Donant Ambiental), EU LIFE-funded conservation projects, and structured programmes such as Custòdia Municipal and Taula Salut i Natura.

Product overview

Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura (XCN) is a network organization that operates as a platform-plus-initiatives model centered on land custody (custòdia del territori) and environmental volunteering in Catalonia. The core portfolio includes the Visor dels Acords de Custòdia de Catalunya (interactive mapping tool) and Inventari de Custòdia del Territori (land custody inventory published since 2003), supported by the Portal de Voluntariat Ambiental (environmental volunteering portal at voluntariatambiental.cat) and Donant Ambiental (donation platform). Key initiatives include Ultra Clean Marathon (sports-environmental event), Taula Salut i Natura (health-nature interface), and multiple EU-funded LIFE projects (LIFE CUSTODIA, LIFE ENPLC, LIFE ELCN, Life Biorgest, Resifarms) addressing conservation governance, private land conservation, forest biodiversity, and agricultural resilience. The organization also produces research assessments like the Indicadors Socio-econòmics i de Conservació de la Natura.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ultra Clean Marathon: Non-competitive sporting event promoting environmental conservation and waste collection in natural spaces, organized jointly by XCN, Agència de Residus de Catalunya, and Departament de Territori i Sostenibilitat.
• Voluntariat Ambiental Portal
• Donant Ambiental

Products and services

• Visor dels Acords de Custòdia de Catalunya Public web-based GIS viewer displaying registered land stewardship (custòdia del territori) agreements across Catalonia. It is intended for territorial planners, conservation NGOs, municipalities, researchers, and citizens who need transparency on formalized stewardship contracts.
• Visor de Biodiversitat d'Espais en Custòdia Public web-based viewer that publishes biodiversity indicators for spaces under stewardship agreements. It is intended for conservation NGOs, public administrations, landowners, and researchers monitoring biodiversity outcomes from stewardship activities.
• Portal de Voluntariat Ambiental Online portal that connects individual citizens in Catalonia with environmental volunteering opportunities hosted by member conservation organizations and XCN programmes. It is intended for adult volunteers seeking structured participation in conservation activities.
• Donant Ambiental Online donation platform that channels philanthropic contributions from individuals and companies toward conservation projects and XCN member programmes. It is intended for individual donors and corporate CSR/sustainability sponsors seeking trusted, transparent routes to fund Catalan environmental action.
• Custòdia Municipal programme Structured XCN programme designed for municipal and public-entity members to formalize stewardship agreements across their territories with XCN's coordination. It is intended for Catalan municipalities, county councils, and public administrations seeking a recognized convener for conservation on their lands.
• Ultra Clean Marathon Annual in-person fundraising event that combines a foot race with environmental awareness-raising in Catalonia. It is intended for individual participants, family groups, and corporate teams seeking to raise funds for XCN conservation work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 41,744 ha of Catalan land under custody agreements across 796 initiatives as of 2021
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Fundación BiodiversidadcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Project coordinator of LIFE CUSTODIA (LIFE22 PRE/ES/000001), a 4-year project (2024-2028, €1.7M budget) on environmental governance and biodiversity conservation through land custody. XCN is a project partner.
• EurositecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Coordinator of the LIFE ENPLC project (European Networks for Private Land Conservation, LIFE19 PRE/NL/000003, €1.69M total, €58,200 for XCN). XCN is a partner in this EU-funded initiative alongside 18 organisations from 11 countries.
• Český Svaz Ochránců Přírody (Czech Union for Nature Conservation)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019European partner in the Resifarms Erasmus+ project, contributing to training farmers and agricultural technicians on synergies between agriculture and biodiversity conservation.
• Comitato per le Oasi WWF dell'Area FiorentinaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Italian partner in the Resifarms Erasmus+ project, working on farmer training and non-productive agricultural land conservation.
• CEN Occitanie (Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019French partner in Resifarms Erasmus+ project, contributing expertise on natural space conservation and agricultural landscape management.
• Fundació EmysminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Catalan partner in Resifarms Erasmus+ project, providing expertise on agroecology and conservation of semi-natural habitats on agricultural land.
• EurositecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Coordinator of the LIFE ELCN project (Development of a European Land Conservation Network, LIFE16 PRE DE 005, total €1.06M, XCN budget €30,200). XCN is a partner alongside organisations from multiple European countries.
• Generalitat de Catalunya – Departament de Territori i SostenibilitatcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Longstanding conveni marc agreement (2015-2020 and extending) between the Directorate General for Environmental Policy and XCN for land custody in Catalonia. Primary institutional partner and public funder. Funded through the Pla de Treball DGPA-XCT.
• Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de CatalunyacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Conveni marc partnership (2012-2017) and subsequent specific agreements for use of university spaces and continuing education activities. XCN's headquarters is co-located with the university. Collaborative on training, research, and student involvement in conservation projects.
• Diputació de BarcelonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey institutional partner providing funding and support for municipal custody projects, health & nature initiatives, and environmental volunteering promotion across Barcelona province. Collaborated on the 'Custòdia Municipal' programme.
• Agència de Residus de CatalunyamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of the Ultra Clean Marathon event, which combines sporting activity with environmental cleanup and conservation fundraising. Provides institutional support and visibility for the initiative.
• Generalitat de Catalunya – Departament de Territori i SostenibilitatmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of the Ultra Clean Marathon, contributing to conservation messaging and linking the sporting event to national environmental policy objectives.
• Ajuntament de BarcelonamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for 'Viu el voluntariat ambiental a Barcelona' (2019), a programme promoting environmental volunteering in the city through the Voluntariat Ambiental portal. Funded at 10,038 €.
• CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in LIFE Biorgest (€1.59M total, €92,560 for XCN), working on innovative forest management strategies to enhance biodiversity in Mediterranean forests.
• Centre de la Propietat Forestal (CPF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner in LIFE Biorgest, providing expertise on private forest ownership and management for biodiversity conservation in Catalonia.
• Centre Nacional de la Propietat Forestière (CNPF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench partner in LIFE Biorgest, contributing to cross-border Mediterranean forest management and biodiversity conservation.
• Centre de Ciència i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya (CTFC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in LIFE Biorgest, providing technical forestry and conservation science expertise for Mediterranean forest biodiversity enhancement.
• Consorci Forestal de Catalunya (CFC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in LIFE Biorgest, representing private forest owners and managers in Catalonia for the implementation of biodiversity-friendly forest management.
• Departament de Salut (Generalitat de Catalunya)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering committee member of the Taula Salut i Natura, a pioneering platform linking nature conservation with public health outcomes. Joint working group on health and nature promotion.
• Consell Assessor per al Desenvolupament Sostenible (CADS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering committee member of the Taula Salut i Natura, providing policy advisory expertise on sustainable development and health-nature linkages.
• ICTA-UAB (Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, UAB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in the Taula Salut i Natura, contributing scientific expertise on environmental science and health outcomes linked to nature exposure.
• ISGlobal (Barcelona Institute for Global Health)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and policy partner in the Taula Salut i Natura, contributing expertise linking environmental conditions with human health outcomes.
• DKV AssegurancesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in the Taula Salut i Natura, bringing private health insurance sector perspective on nature-based health interventions.
• Fundació Catalunya – La PedreramajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey institutional partner hosting events (Palau Macaya debate series, LIFE Montserrat visits) and providing venue and programme support for XCN's conservation and health initiatives.
• SEO/BirdLifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish partner in LIFE CUSTODIA, one of Spain's largest environmental conservation NGOs and member of BirdLife International, contributing to biodiversity conservation through land custody.
• Fundación Global Nature (FGN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in LIFE CUSTODIA, contributing expertise on biodiversity conservation and environmental governance in Spain.
• Fundación Fernando González Bernáldez / Europarc-EspañamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in LIFE CUSTODIA, providing expertise on nature conservation policy, environmental education, and protected area management in Spain.
• Foro de Redes y Entidades de Custodia del Territorio (FRECT)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in LIFE CUSTODIA, the Spanish forum for land custody networks and entities, contributing to national coordination of private land conservation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Eurosite: European network of public and private bodies managing natural areas; XCN has directly partnered with Eurosite as coordinator on LIFE ENPLC and LIFE ELCN, and both operate as membership/coordination bodies for site-based conservation across Europe.
• Fundación Biodiversidad: Spanish foundation under MITECO that channels biodiversity funding and coordinates the LIFE CUSTODIA project alongside XCN. Both operate as national-level environmental coordination/funding entities with overlapping NGO and public-sector constituencies in Spain.
• Foro de Redes y Entidades de Custodia del Territorio (FRECT): Spanish national forum aggregating regional land-custody networks, of which XCN is a partner in LIFE CUSTODIA. FRECT and XCN share the same custody-del-territorio model and operate overlapping member rosters of conservation NGOs.
• European Landowners' Organization (ELO): European federation of national landowner associations that XCN partners with via LIFE ENPLC; ELO develops policy frameworks for private land conservation that map directly to XCN's custòdia del territori mission.
• Fundación Global Nature: Spanish biodiversity foundation partnering with XCN in LIFE CUSTODIA, working on land stewardship and habitat conservation — directly overlapping in mission, geography (Spain) and private-land conservation model.
• SEO/BirdLife: Spain's largest bird conservation NGO and BirdLife International affiliate; XCN is a member and SEO/BirdLife is a partner in LIFE CUSTODIA. Both pursue habitat/biodiversity conservation through member-based advocacy and conservation agreements.
• Fundació Emys: Catalan conservation foundation focused on agroecology and biodiversity, member of XCN and Resifarms partner. Operates local land custody and habitat restoration initiatives in the same geography and with overlapping methodological foundations.

Regional players

• Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels (CEN Occitanie): French regional conservatoire managing voluntary land conservation agreements, partnering with XCN in the Resifarms Erasmus+ project. Operates the same custòdia-style private land stewardship model but in southern France rather than Catalonia.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy (TNC): Global conservation NGO operating voluntary conservation easement/agreement programmes at massive scale. TNC's broader portfolio and global reach contrast with XCN's regional focus, but the underlying private-land stewardship methodology is directly comparable.
• Wildlife Trusts (The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts): UK federation of 46 local wildlife trusts running membership-based conservation, volunteer mobilisation and land management — directly comparable to XCN's member-network-plus-volunteer model, but at much greater scale and geographic spread.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/xcn.cat
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCj84QcAvYwFwCbS1RGL4cag
• LinkedInes.linkedin.com/company/xarxa-per-a-la-conservaci-de-la-natura
• Instagraminstagram.com/xcnatura

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura