GNF - Life Project Albufera
 

Life ALBUFERA for the integrated management of three constructed wetlands in L''Albufera of Valencia, Spain

 

Project Duration:

Project Country:  

Supporters:

 

 

Project Partners: 

October 2013 - September 2016 

Spain

European Union (Life Programme), State Society of the Waters of the Mediterranean Basin (ACUAMED) and the Júcar River Authority

Technical University of Valencia (coordinator), Fundación Global Nature, Acció Ecologista-Agró and SEO / BirdLife

 

October 2013

 

ALBUFERA LIFE is a European project for the integrated management of three artificial wetlands in the Natural Park of Albufera of Valencia. Coordinated by the Polytechnic University of Valencia and developed with the participation of Fundación Global Nature, Acció Ecologista-Agró and Spanish Ornithological Society (SEO / BirdLife) has ACUAMED and Júcar River Authority as co-financers. The project has a total budget of 1,446,234 Euro and an execution period of three years, 50 % is financed by the European Union.

 

The aim is to demonstrate the feasibility of the integrated management of these areas to improve water and habitat for birds quality, integrating the three European directives (Water, Birds and Habitats). During the development of the project, commons indicators will be defined "Water-bird-habitat" and rules on wetlands management that optimize these indicators will seek.

 

Constructed wetlands work as water treatment systems, coming from in this case, from the Albufera or external inputs. The total surface is about 90 hectares of old rice fields. The new vegetation consists of macrophytes: reeds, cattails, lilies and rushes, among others, and which are the responsible of purify the water.

 

The creation of these wetlands represents an aid to comply with water quality objectives of the Water Framework Directive. They also improve bird habitats, according to the guidelines set by the Birds and Habitats Directives.

In the next three years, the partners will carry out

  • Control of water quality across these wetlands
  • Water management
  • Vegetation management
  • Study of the avifauna
  • Evaluation of the effects on the local economy and the perception of the public about wetlands.
  • Communication and dissemination tasks of the project and sharing similar experiences and social participation.

 

Getting this project has been the result of close collaboration between government, environmental organizations and universities, working together for years to improve the environment of the Albufera Natural Park in Valencia.

Contact Person

 

Antonio Guillem Avivar

FUNDACION GLOBAL NATURE

C/. Juan Ramón Jiménez 38-23ª

46026 - Valencia (Spain)

www.fundacionglobalnature.org

www.globalnature.org/albufera

 Barrier from Mediterranean Sea
 Reed Areas in the La Albufera Nature Park
 Fishing
 Fundación Global Nature