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The northbound part of the Montseny service area on the AP-7 motorway has a nature area laid out so that visitors can follow a trail around this small Mediterranean-type wood. The wood lies between the two of the most important protected natural areas, the Montseny natural park and the Montnegre-Corredor natural park.

The abertis foundation recovered this space with the aim of improving its quality in landscape terms, reinforcing its biodiversity and natural value and educating the area's users by raising their awareness of natural heritage.

The aims of this project included improving the existing wood and the landscaping of its immediate surroundings, laying out a nature trail, signposting and explaining the area's natural and cultural values and improving the facilities for public use.

The following steps were taken:

• Selective thinning out of the wood and pruning of dead pine branches.
  Not all trees or shrubs which grow are good for the wood. There are species which are not native to Mediterranean forests and these inhibit the growth of indigenous species. Moreover, pruning dead pine branches reduces the risk of fire and increases safety for people.
• Planting of shrubs and small trees on the ground.
  Once the wood had been cleaned up, there was a need to reinforce the species native to it and also to increase biodiversity. In this case, over 250 trees species were planted, including the hazelnut (Corylus avellana), strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), laurustinus (Viburnum tinus), juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus), service tree (Sorbus domestica) and cherry (Prunus avium).
• Planting screening plantations to mark out the area for walking through.
  Planting shrubs such as the hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) or strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) in order to separate the wood from the car parks and the service area from the wood.
• Laying out a nature trail making it possible to walk around the wood.
  Over a kilometre long, the paths go into the wood, offering the chance to enjoy a pleasant moment in a natural setting, to get away and take a rest from driving.
• Signposting the area.
  Helping visitors find out about the main trees and animals in the area and choose which trail they wish to follow.