PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Spain hosts Europe's most diverse and abundant wetlands, yet these vital aquatic ecosystems are disappearing globally at an alarming rate. Wetlands provide irreplaceable ecosystem services: they improve water quality by filtering pollutants and sediments, recharge groundwater, provide natural flood control by storing water in flood plains, contribute to carbon sequestration, and support exceptional biodiversity. Spain harbours over 2,000 wetland sites, ranging from freshwater marshes and coastal habitats to salt lagoons and cryptic wetlands—many hosting rare, endemic, or endangered species. Positioned on key migration routes for waterbirds, Spanish wetlands host up to 40% of Western Mediterranean aquatic birds in winter and provide critical ecological connectivity for migratory species, while encompassing 43 Annex I habitat types under the Habitats Directive within the Natura 2000 Network.
The environmental challenge is substantial. Despite their ecological and economic value (estimated at USD 47.4 trillion annually in global ecosystem services), wetlands face ongoing degradation from water abstraction, intensification of agriculture, pollution (including nutrient enrichment and eutrophication) and climate change pressures, as well as hydromorphological alterations. Current conservation efforts, whilst supported by the EU Habitats and Birds Directives and Spain's commitment to the Ramsar Convention, remain insufficient to halt this decline.
In 2022, the Spanish Government responded by adopting the Strategic Wetlands Plan 2030 (PEH2030)—a comprehensive policy framework designed to enhance management, restore degraded wetlands, and integrate wetland conservation into sectoral policies including water resources and flood management. This commitment aligns with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the Nature Restoration Regulation, which specifically call for restoration of freshwater habitats and wetlands to improve conservation status and ecosystem resilience. Implementation will draw on nature‑based solutions, including green infrastructures, rewetting, and targeted restoration measures to build climate resilience and climate change adaptation.
LIFE HumedalES directly supports PEH2030 implementation, addressing the critical gap between current conservation status and the restoration targets required to achieve favourable conservation conditions for wetland habitats and species across Spain's Natura 2000 Network.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective is to promote the restoration of wetlands within the Natura 2000 Network in Spain, contributing to the implementation of the Strategic Wetlands Plan for 2030 (PEH2030), and the EU Nature Restoration Regulation.
To achieve this, LIFE HumedalES pursues the following specific objectives:
- Restore degraded wetlands whilst improving the conservation status of their habitats and species, enhancing ecosystem resilience and reducing existing threats.
- Advance scientific knowledge and information on Spanish wetlands to inform evidence-based management decisions.
- Improve wetland planning and management through ecosystem-based approaches, whilst integrating wetland conservation into sectoral policies affecting water resources, flood management, and agricultural practices, contributing to a complete, ecologically representative Natura 2000 Network in favourable conservation status.
- Strengthen integrated and participatory governance for Spanish wetland conservation by fostering inter-administrative coordination, promoting social participation, and encouraging voluntary stewardship initiatives.
- Evaluate project impact on biodiversity improvement, PEH2030 implementation progress, governance enhancement, and territorial socioeconomic benefits.
- Communicate and build capacity across society on wetland benefits and conservation importance.
- Transfer methodologies, approaches and solutions developed by the project to support wetland conservation and biodiversity improvement nationally and across Europe.
- Mobilise complementary funding (€111 million) and establish innovative financing mechanisms to sustain wetland management beyond project completion.
RESULTS
LIFE HumedalES will deliver substantial and measurable environmental benefits for Spanish wetlands and their biodiversity.
- Restoration of 26,200 hectares of degraded wetlands (284 restoration works) across 107 Natura 2000 sites in all 17 Spanish regions.
- Achievement of 130% of the Strategic Wetlands Plan 2030 (PEH2030) restoration target.
- Improvement of the conservation status of 43 habitat types listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive.
- Delivery of targeted conservation measures benefiting 103 species of fauna and flora (41 of Habitats/Birds Directives), including restocking/reintroduction of species, installation of bird antic-collision devices, control/eradication of invasive species, early warning and response system.
- Land purchase of 922.12 hectares for wetland restoration.
- Enhancement of ecosystem resilience to climate change while advancing towards favourable conservation status.
- Generation of technical and cartographic information required to enable, where appropriate, the expansion and updating of the Spanish Wetlands Inventory.
- Development and testing of new technological approaches for observing, monitoring, and tracking wetland habitats and species, including remote sensing, automated solutions and mobile platforms applying artificial intelligence tools.
- Development of regional and national studies and methodologies to advance scientific and technical knowledge on the conservation of wetland habitats and species, informing public policy and ecosystem management.
- Preparation at regional level of multi-annual, science–technical proposals for research lines and project prioritisation to address the needs identified by wetland managers.
- Preparation of a recommendations report consolidating technical guidance for sectoral policies, ensuring effective integration and alignment with PEH2030 objectives.
- Preparation of at least seven manuals, technical guides, or guidance documents to harmonise sectoral policies with wetland protection and conservation.
- Preparation of a planning improvement report for wetland management across the project area.
- Preparation of a recommendations report on the application of innovative technologies for wetland surveillance and monitoring in Spain.
- Improvement of inter‑administrative co‑ordination based on existing structures, with at least 60 coordination meetings between administrations, serving as a mechanism for policy integration and decision making support.
- Involvement of at least 100 organisations in voluntary initiatives and implementation of 200 volunteering initiatives, with the participation of 4,500 volunteers.
- Signature of at least 30 land stewardship agreements.
- Public and private partnership through the signature of 10 public–private collaboration schemes to accelerate wetland restoration and conservation actions.
- Preparation of a Transfer and Replication Strategy, five good practice guides, a Training Strategy, and an After‑LIFE Plan.
- Development of an innovative methodology for monitoring the socio-economic impact of wetland restoration actions.
- Outreach to four million people through a communication campaign, delivering 60+ awareness raising activities, 10 thematic workshops, 30 interpretive visits, 200 science‑based tourism activities, and 500 interpretive school visits.
- 4,000 people involved in citizen science activities.
- Production of a wide range of resources and materials (videos, infographics, exhibitions, and documentaries) as part of the public awareness campaign.
- Organisation and participation in events and conferences.
- Establishment of a wetlands learning community.
- Networking with more than 50 European projects and organisation of 30 experience‑exchange sessions.
- Organisation of 40 wetland visits to foster replication and 30 dedicated transfer sessions.
- Delivery of 100 training events nationwide, building the capacity of more than 20,000 people across sectors.
- Organisation of five thematic webinars for regional authority practitioners.
- Implementation of a wetlands training programme based on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) methodology, including at least 300 training activities and reaching approximately 15,000 people.
- Mobilisation of €111 million in complementary funding from national and regional sources to tackle threats beyond the scope of direct project actions.
- Implementation of more than 100 complementary projects.
- Formulation of proposals to improve financing mechanisms.
- Implementation of 10 projects supported by innovative financing mechanisms.
- Development of a methodological framework and tools to facilitate private investment and ensure the viability of at least 100 restoration projects nationwide.