PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The SCI/SPA of Cabo de Gata-Nijar is located in the extreme southeast of Almeria province. It is a site of extraordinary structural and biological complexity, stretching from the sea floor to coastal mountains of volcanic origin and passing through wetland and coastal ecosystems. The site experiences an extremely arid climate, unique in Western Europe, and enjoys the presence of many species of flora and fauna of Community interest. There are priority habitats such as the arborescent matorral scrubland with Zyziphus, xerophytic Mediterranean pastures, Posidonia beds, salt steppes or gypsum steppes. Among the more important bird species nesting there are the trumpeter bullfinch (Bucanetes githagineus), the little tern (Sternula albifrons), the avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) and Dupont's lark (Chersophilus duponti). The main threats to this area come from increasing agricultural and urban pressure, the presence of an old road, easier access for predators to sensitive areas and human damage due to the lack of awareness.
OBJECTIVES
The project aimed to restore the priority habitats within the SCI and increase the capacity of the SPA. These activities were foreseen as part of a comprehensive conservation plan for the area. The project planned to purchase the 'Los Escullos' estate and then replant it with the most valuable species in the area such as the European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), Ziziphus lotus or Rhamnus lycioides ssp. oleoides. It also sought to restore the western end of the Albufera wetland through the installation of a water channel and dyke under the road that would allow water to circulate once again into this area. The salt steppes would be restored by planting a hedge to protect them, installing a dyke and introducing predator-control devices. Finally, access to the wetlands was to be improved and the results of the project widely disseminated.
RESULTS
The project purchased 828 ha from Los Escullos estate and surrounding area. This enabled the control of threats over a large area of the site's coastal fringe and the restoration of 120 ha of the prioritary habitat arborescent matorral with Zyziphus. The project selected seeds in the wild from all the characteristic species of the wetland habitat - Chamaerops humilis, Zyziphus lotus, Rhamnus oleoides, Periploca alevigata subsp. angustifolia - tested their germination and vegetative reproduction and planted them in the nursery of the Natural Park. They were then used to repopulate 300.7 ha of wetlands with a density of 500 plants per hectare. Over 80 percent of the plants were seen to have grown successfully in the first year. Topographic studies on the coastal wetlands in the Pujaire area revealed that there was insufficient natural water to restore the freshwater wetland habitats and that diverting water from elsewhere would be too difficult and expensive. Work was therefore limited to the building of a wall between the salty habitats and the freshwater wetlands. The wall has the double function of preventing freshwater from draining into the saltpans and retaining rainwater in the freshwater wetlands to encourage their natural recovery. Over 2km of dykes were successfully repaired and three sluice-gates introduced to control the circulation of water. This allowed for the recovery of 30 ha of wetland. Over 25 new islets were created to provide suitable nesting areas of particular importance for avocet (Recurvirrostra avosetta) and black-winged stilt (Himathopus himanthopus). Rubbish was cleared and, to keep predators and humans away from crucial nesting areas for birds, 11km of 1.4m-high fencing were introduced around the saltpans together with five anti-predator systems along some of the dykes. The project constructed four wooden hides for bird observation and 18.7 km of pedestrian track in areas of low impact around the saltpans to promote didactic activities. Six panels were installed to inform visitors about the project area and its main features. Complementary information leaflets were published together with the project website.The project purchased 828 ha from Los Escullos estate and surrounding area. This enabled the control of threats over a large area of the site's coastal fringe and the restoration of 120 ha of the prioritary habitat arborescent matorral with Zyziphus. The project selected seeds in the wild from all the characteristic species of the wetland habitat - Chamaerops humilis, Zyziphus lotus, Rhamnus oleoides, Periploca alevigata subsp. angustifolia - tested their germination and vegetative reproduction and planted them in the nursery of the Natural Park. They were then used to repopulate 300.7 ha of wetlands with a density of 500 plants per hectare. Over 80 percent of the plants were seen to have grown successfully in the first year. Topographic studies on the coastal wetlands in the Pujaire area revealed that there was insufficient natural water to restore the freshwater wetland habitats and that diverting water from elsewhere would be too difficult and expensive. Work was therefore limited to the building of a wall between the salty habitats and the freshwater wetlands. The wall has the double function of preventing freshwater from draining into the saltpans and retaining rainwater in the freshwater wetlands to encourage their natural recovery. Over 2km of dykes were successfully repaired and three sluice-gates introduced to control the circulation of water. This allowed for the recovery of 30 ha of wetland. Over 25 new islets were created to provide suitable nesting areas of particular importance for avocet (Recurvirrostra avosetta) and black-winged stilt (Himathopus himanthopus). Rubbish was cleared and, to keep predators and humans away from crucial nesting areas for birds, 11km of 1.4m-high fencing were introduced around the saltpans together with five anti-predator systems along some of the dykes. The project constructed four wooden hides for bird observation and 18.7 km of pedestrian track in areas of low impact around the saltpans to promote didactic activities. Six panels were installed to inform visitors about the project area and its main features. Complementary information leaflets were published together with the project website.
