TAKING CARE OF THE NATURAL WONDERS OF SPAIN

Despite reports that Spain’s iconic Doñana nature reserve, which starts at just over an hour’s drive from Sotogrande, is facing threats from agricultural and industrial development, the area has been included on a prestigious ‘Green List’ of the world’s best-preserved natural environments.

The Andalusian Minister of Environment and Planning, José Fiscal, received the certificate regarded as the top global award for best practices from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Green List currently includes 20 sites worldwide, of which two are in Spain—the other being the Sierra Nevada national park in Granada. The Doñana nature reserve, which is home to many species including the rare and endangered Iberian Lynx, is permanently monitored by international organisations to ensure potential conflicts caused by dredging of the Guadalquivir river, water management plans and installation of natural gas pipelines are not detrimental to the environment.

Haven for rare birdlife

The Doñana nature reserve includes both the Doñana National Park, established in 1969, and the Natural Park, created in 1989 as a buffer zone against commercial exploitation pressures. The two parks have since been classified as a single natural landscape, with Doñana’s large expanse of salt marsh being a breeding ground and feeding point for hundreds of thousands of European and African birds on their migration routes.

The area was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1994 and is considered to be the largest nature reserve in Europe. As such, it is one of the most closely monitored reserves in the EU with several scientific institutions maintaining monitoring stations to keep a eye on the threatened species that thrive there, as well as to ensure development of neighbouring land does not threaten the park. The area is also a big draw for tourism, with more than 350,000 visitors annually.

The economic benefits of the park were highlighted by Sr. Fiscal, who said at a ceremony to receive the certificate that activities such as tourism and forestry allowed for the sustainable development of the area while maintaining its environmental importance.

The Doñana Natural Park is about a one and a half hours drive from Sotogrande and makes an exceptional day out for residents looking for natural beauty in an unspoilt setting. Sotogrande is ideally placed for discovering the best of Spain’s countryside and natural spaces as well as exploring the historic towns and villages of Andalucía.

Please contact us and we can help you find a home in this exclusive enclave that offers the best lifestyle choice in Spain.

Photo: Discovering Donana