PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The Bay of Santander is the largest estuary on the north coast of Spain extending over 41 675 ha. Due to the influence of the city of Santander and its metropolitan area, nearly half the region’s population is situated around the bay area. Despite its relative shallowness, the bay serves as the city’s main seaport and has consequently undergone dramatic changes. A significant part of the original marsh was drained to build industrial areas, highways and meadows, for instance, and one runway of Parayas Airport extends into the bay. Today, 38% of the estuary is still a natural environment of great ecological value. However, continual pressures threaten biodiversity and ecosystem services in the bay.
OBJECTIVES
The main LIFE Anillo Verde project objective was to contribute to nature conservation in seven municipalities of the Bay of Santander, by improving and restoring ecosystems and habitats, and enabling the population recovery of species. It would also aim to halt the loss of biodiversity, to sustain ecosystem services, and to restore, insofar as possible, estuarine and bay ecosystems by creating a green and blue infrastructure: the "Green Belt of Bay of Santander".
Further to these aims, the project would:
- Design the "Green Belt Bay of Santander" as a permanent and long-term sustainable infrastructure, and develop appropriate management tools and funding;
- Restore characteristic ecosystems of the bay, including the removal of invasive alien species;
- Improve the connectivity of natural areas of the bay from ecological and sustainable mobility perspectives;
- Raise public awareness of the natural, cultural, and social values of the bay through the green belt , and promote the territory as a sustainable tourist destination; and
- Foster the expansion of the bay's green belt, through land stewardship agreements with owners of public and private properties.
RESULTS
The LIFE Anillo Verde project aimed at establishing a long-lasting green infrastructure, the Green Belt of Santander Bay, connecting nature with the city of Santander. The project partially achieved this result as ultimately the area targeted was lower than originally planned. However, the project represents a step forward for conservation of littoral habitats and relict forest habitats, even though further restoration actions are required to fully realise the planned green infrastructure.
The project concluded land stewardship agreements or land concessions for 10 reserves covering 201.48 hectares. Three of the reserves were coastal wetlands, two were inland wetlands, four were relict holm oak forests and one comprised several bay islets. .
In terms of ecosystem restoration, the following quantifiable results were achieved:
- 11.95 ha of inland wetlands reforested;
- 56.26 ha of holm oak forest improved
- Removal of invasive alien plant species over 105.49 ha inside reserves and 48.62 ha outside; and
- 64 noticeboards installed.
Although the project found that it is difficult to improve the connectivity in the area Santander Bay due to the high level of fragmentation of the landscape, the targeted areas could become stepping-stones for some fauna species. .
The project carried out several education and awareness raising activities, and produced various dissemination materials, such as handbooks and booklets. Another outcome of the project was the construction/refurbishment of two centres for the promotion of environmental activities. The 'Casa de la Naturaleza' centre at Alday contains several noticeboards, posters, aquariums and other material that introduces visitors to the LIFE project. The centre also comprises a garden populated with local species, a small pond for amphibians and an insect ‘hotel’. At the 'El Pendo' centre, the project refurbished an existent building for use as a location for environmental talks, courses and workshops. The team also improved an arboretum that surrounds the building.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).