The Trebujena Marshes, like much of the original Doñana complex, were drained between 1950 and 1980, but were never irrigated, which has prevented the planned agricultural development.
Renaturalization could be compatible with sustainable farming practices such as aquaculture of crabs, shrimp, or species like gilthead seabream and European seabass, all of which are adapted to the brackish water of the estuary, their natural habitat. Renaturalization would also be an option aligned with the demands of society, which is increasingly aware of the natural capital that Doñana represents, and with European policies such as the “Nature Restoration Act” and climate change mitigation policies through the development of CO2 sequestration measures, in which wetlands are among the most environmentally and financially profitable options.
The pilot project aims to define both the scope of a restoration action and a management model, with a view to providing a technical basis for future restoration projects by the Regional Government of Andalusia.
Objectives of the theoretical design:
1. Restore the hydrological functionality of the wetland.
2. Evaluate its effectiveness in capturing and transforming nitrates.
3. Develop predictive models of the system’s dynamics, testing the combination of hydraulic and sedimentary models.
4. Design bioremediation techniques to optimize the neutralization of pollutants.
5. Define a water management model that manages the inflow and outflow of freshwater runoff based on its potential sediment load or chemical inputs from neighboring crops, the water needs of the restored lagoon ecosystem, and the water needs of potential sustainable productive uses (aquaculture and birdwatching tourism).
6. Design a replicability plan to extend the model to other areas of the Guadalquivir estuary.
To achieve these objectives, the partners Yuntas, the University of A Coruña and the University of Limoges, supported by the Regional Government of Andalusia – Ministry of Sustainability and Environment and the Guadalquivir River Basin Authority, will jointly conduct hydraulic, environmental, and territorial studies, as well as studies on the presence of chemical agents and their neutralization or management.