This reserve is managed as a result of an agreement between the Somo Neighbourhood Council and the Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre.

It is located in the arrow formed by the sand deposits in the Bay of Santander and Puntal de Somo complex. Specifically, it is located in the northeast of the municipality of Ribamontán al Mar, between the towns of Somo and Loredo.

This mountain, repopulated with pine trees and eucalyptus, and spontaneously by oaks and bay trees, is situated on the forested tertiary dune. These dunes, found inland from the coast, lie on sandy soils with a greater contribution of organic matter, as opposed to the secondary and primary dunes, allowing the development of tree and bush plant species that are unable to grow on the primary and secondary dunes. In addition, they do not suffer the influence of the wind, which decreases the salinity of the soil, and they are warmer because they are sheltered by the main dunes. All these factors mean that these fixed dunes have more variety and abundance of species. For this reason, in the area closest to the beach you can observe psamophilous species, sand lovers, and as you go into the mountains, the vegetation varies towards one more typical of mature forest, with the presence of holm oaks, oaks, holly trees, strawberry trees, hawthorns or bay trees.

However, the site is not free from the invasion of the pampa grass, which represents an added difficulty to the normal development of the native species. The eradication of this invasive vegetation is one of the main management strategies and the main reason why work is being done in the area. The most common fauna is that of coastal areas, specifically the most common birds are gulls, cormorants, etc. It is not difficult to observe other more generalist species such as magpies or sparrows, and even nocturnal birds such as the owl. Small mammals, amphibians and reptiles are less common in this reserve.

In order to improve the state of conservation of the dune area and the mature forest, an environmental restoration project is being carried out, financed by the Ministry of the Environment, which consists of eliminating invasive flora, reducing the capacity for regeneration of the eucalyptus tree, and enhancing the growth and distribution of the native tree, with special attention to the holm oak, strawberry tree, bay tree and flax-leaved daphne (Daphne gnidium).

Collaborators:

• Somo’s Neighborhood Council.
• Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs Cantabria Coastal Region.
• Department of the Environment of the Government of Cantabria.