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 This space was declared Biosphere Reservation in 1989, with the specific regulation regime oriented towards preserving its natural values and regulating the use of its resources. The areas of special value are the marshes, cliffs, dune enclaves and the Cantabrian holm oak groves.
The marshes existing in Urdaibai of the most extensive and best conserved in the Basque Coast. Urdaibai as a whole as an excellent rioting of habitats and phytocenosis, some representations of which are exceptional in character. The marshy habitat and its specific communities reach in this space the first-class development, both in terms of diversity and in extension, covering a very complete range from the most saline to freshwater environments.
In Laga Beach, subjected to intense tourism, there is a small representation of vegetation adapted to accumulations of coastal sands, which is quite exceptional in the Basque Coast. The coastal cliffs and rocks in Ogoño and Izaro Island shelter species of flora and fauna that are noteworthy because of their rarity and corologic interest.
 Interest in terms of fauna of marshy zones is exceptional in the autonomous community of the Basque country and quite noteworthy on the whole of the Cantabrian cornice. Its importance as a resting place for migrating birds and as regular winter quarters make this site an ornithologically relevant area in the European context. It is, together with the Santoña marshes, the most important wetland on the Cantabrian Coast as a rest and feeding area in the migration routes of the Dutch population of spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia).
The Ogoño cliffs and Izaro Island shelter nesting colonies of marine birds, as well as other species of interest, like shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), storm petrels (Hydrobates pelagicus), and the little egret (Egretta garzetta).
This site is considered of international importance following botanical criteria.
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