Recovering Aiguamolls de l’Empordà
Basic information
Project Title
Recovering Aiguamolls de l’Empordà
Full project title
Torre Mornau Renaturalization: wetlands and brackish lagoons at Aiguamolls de l’Empordà
Category
Reconnecting with nature
Project Description
The Emporda’s wetlands are a unique biological reserve in the North of Catalonia. In this area Torre d’En Mornau includes 118 hectares of brackish lagoons, crop fields with 5345 sqm of build area. The intervention included the recovery of the existing buildings and improving the situation of the natural brackish lagoons and wetlands as biodiversity reserve while recovering also some traditional uses of the existing buildings by reintroducing the endangered Vaca de L’Albera cow breed.
Geographical Scope
Local
Project Region
Spain
Urban or rural issues
Mainly rural
Physical or other transformations
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
EU Programme or fund
No
Description of the project
Summary
In North-Eastern Catalonia there is a natural fields and wetlands area of 117 ha with over 5300 of built areas named Torre Mornau. This area is part of the Parc dels Aiguamolls de l’Empordà (Emporda Marshes), a natural reserve since 1983.
It is an area by the seaside which includes some land that was recovered in the SXVIII from the wetlands to be shepherding and crop fields for the nearby farms. Over the time, the farms and fields were abandoned. And as a result, both the cultural heritage of the farms and the natural environment was at risk. As these fields are of an exceptional environmental, farming and sociocultural value, Incasòl proposed the recovery, management, refurbishing and conservation plan the area. The first step was refurbishing the existing buildings so they could be brought back to use. This step allowed reintroducing Vaca de l’Albera, a local cow breed at risk of extinction at that time.
The second phase proposed recovering the nature and uses of the shepherding wetlands as natural buffer for local flora and fauna. Due to its seasonal nature as brackish lagoons, with periods in which the area is flooded with sea water, they can’t be used as crops fields. The only possible uses for this area are shepherding meadows and natural reserve, as it had been in the past.
The different phases addressed water and creek management, trees mass and biodiversity, to recover the richness of these small ecosystems, with are the shelter of several animal species in the Parc.
So as a result of our actions, the area was again a healthy natural reserve recovered for the people and for the nature upon the regeneration of the farming industry fabric.
It is an area by the seaside which includes some land that was recovered in the SXVIII from the wetlands to be shepherding and crop fields for the nearby farms. Over the time, the farms and fields were abandoned. And as a result, both the cultural heritage of the farms and the natural environment was at risk. As these fields are of an exceptional environmental, farming and sociocultural value, Incasòl proposed the recovery, management, refurbishing and conservation plan the area. The first step was refurbishing the existing buildings so they could be brought back to use. This step allowed reintroducing Vaca de l’Albera, a local cow breed at risk of extinction at that time.
The second phase proposed recovering the nature and uses of the shepherding wetlands as natural buffer for local flora and fauna. Due to its seasonal nature as brackish lagoons, with periods in which the area is flooded with sea water, they can’t be used as crops fields. The only possible uses for this area are shepherding meadows and natural reserve, as it had been in the past.
The different phases addressed water and creek management, trees mass and biodiversity, to recover the richness of these small ecosystems, with are the shelter of several animal species in the Parc.
So as a result of our actions, the area was again a healthy natural reserve recovered for the people and for the nature upon the regeneration of the farming industry fabric.
Key objectives for sustainability
The first phase allowed the abandoned farmes to be brought back to service. Those spaces were recoverd and prevented wasting materials. Also, as the second phase was centered on renaturing the area, cleaning and refurbishing water management and service roads, the overall sustainability of the wetlands was improved providing a recovered natural buffer able to hold and foster the biodiversity of the area.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The area is a beautiful natural reserve, gaining the areas that had been damaged overt the years added value and attractive to the area. Also, as the brackish lagoons were delimited, the natural flora and fauna had a share as natural buffer.
The project also allowed the endangered Vaca de l’Albera cow breed to be farmed. Thus, it recovered both the farming culture in the area and provided a new natural environment for flora, fauna and inhabitants of the area to enjoy.
The project also allowed the endangered Vaca de l’Albera cow breed to be farmed. Thus, it recovered both the farming culture in the area and provided a new natural environment for flora, fauna and inhabitants of the area to enjoy.
Key objectives for inclusion
Associations and town councils were consulted and considered in the development of the plan
Results in relation to category
The main aim was to offer an alternative for a natural area in decadence. The environmental situation was really bad and the lands were not able hold neither their natural nor the farming needs. With our intervention the area recovered its function as natural buffer and offered a real use for the fields that had been abandoned. All those fields were in a later state certified as able to hold ecological production. Also a nearly the cow the Vaca de l’Albera was recovered and reintroduced.
How Citizens benefit
At the beginning any actions on the wetlands area was not well considered by local nature associations. They were consulted and considered in the project. As the result their participation was included in the project and offered an improvement for inhabitants, workers and nature.
Physical or other transformations
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Innovative character
Recovering such an extense area in a natural reserve is a very ambitious project. Reserves are often areas in which no or little actions are allowed. AS the area had some particular elements, such as the seasonal flooding meadows it was not able to recover its natural state so easily. It was necessary to take action and work to improve its situation and offer a viable path for the area to thrive, at a natural and also sustainable way.
Disciplines/knowledge reflected
The area needed intervention from the social, farming industry and environmental aspects. All these subjects were implemented by including experts on each area and making agreements with local town councils and associations.
Methodology used
Sustainability, farming and biodiversity specialists took part in the project to define and decide what were the most suitable actions to apply in the area.
How stakeholders are engaged
At the beginning any actions on the wetlands area was not well considered by local nature associations. They were consulted and considered in the project. As the result their participation was included in the project and offered an improvement for inhabitants, workers and nature.
Global challenges
Sustainability and nature were addressed from a local level. But the results of the actions were clarly benefitial at a regional level and even global, as recovering the biodiversity of the area offers a natural space for migrating birds and other animals present at the area. Also, as the fields were granted an ecological production seal, it implied an increase on the offer of these products for the inhabitants of the region,
Learning transferred to other parties
The process stablished some defined steps, first to allow buildings to be recovered for farming and then, arranging the possibilities so as nature could offer a possibility to recover the area. Any actions were previously set to consensus and well-studied to offer the best options and decide which areas were a priority.
Keywords
farms
sheperding
marshes
brackish lagoons
endangered ecosystem
