The University of Granada, in association with the Valle del Genal study group and the Archaeological Museum of Estepona, will protect one of the few natural oases still left on the Spanish coastline which nowadays is full of building work. Researchers from the Institute for the Regional Development and Herbarium will study “El Saladillo-Matas Verdes” (Estepona, Málaga). By analysing this coastal area, they will try to prevent it from degrading or disappearing.
The project is conducted by José Gómez Zotano, a professor from the department of Regional Geographical Analysis and Physical Geography, and a member of the Institute for Regional Development of the University of Granada. The Spanish savings bank La Caixa has given 40,000 euros to this project through its Development Programme (Programme for Nature Protection). In the near future, this area hopes to become the first coastal nature reserve in Estepona.
Gómez Zotano explained that “El Saladillo-Matas Verdes” is a nature area which runs for more than 3 kilometres along the coast of Estepona. “We can still find here a wide range of characteristic biotopes in this area . ”
A unique place
The land area, which is approximately 200 metres wide “is composed of an interesting dune complex, which still preserves one of the few formed and estabilished dunes that has survived the invasion of tourism and urbanization”. The fauna is particularly interesting in this area, and a lot of protected species live here. For instance, we can find some very well-preserved phanerogam colonies.
Thanks to the variety and singularity of these coastal ecosystems in Estepona, this place «has a great ecological importance, especially in terms of its biological and geomorphological diversity». In addition to that, important archaeological remains have been found, some of them under the surface of the sea. The research into this question will be conducted by the Archaeological Museum of Estepona.
However, “El Saladillo-Matas Verdes” is also exposed to environmental damage related to human activity. That makes its preservation even more difficult. Its ecological importance, as well as the facts that it is under threat and has not been yet properly studied, have been sufficient for La Caixa to award this project.
Gómez Zotano points out that this coastal area has been preserved “because the land´s owners have taken care of it, and have protected it”. This type of dunes is unique, thanks to its very special features –even though they are located on the Mediterranean, they look as if they were located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. This is due to its closeness to the Straits of Gibraltar-. Researchers from the UGR are trying to convince the Regional Government of Andalusia to declare this area a Natural Monument, as was the case with the Dunes de Artola (Marbella).
This interdisciplinary project will last for a year, and consists of the study and delimitation of both the coastal and the inland area. The aim is to protect these ecosystems and prevent them from being overexploited or degraded. Geological sounding and sand analysis will be conducted to find out exactly how old the dunes are, as well as flora and fauna inventories, submarine samplings (to learn more about the submarine life) and subaquatic prospecting (to check how well preserved the submerged archaeological remains are). The results will be published in a book.
Reference:
Prof. José Gómez Zotano. Institute for Regional Development (University of Granada)
Tel. Number: 958 243 083.
Mobile Phone Number: 676 108 183
Email address: jgzotano@ugr.es
