Renaturalisation of Marbella river begins in bid to prevent flooding

The work to renaturalise the Guadaiza river in Marbella with the aim of preventing flooding began on 10 July. The first stage was the elimination of invasive species and the cleaning of the riverbed. San Pedro Alcántara deputy mayor Javier García stated that this project targets the "progressive deterioration of the river", which has been aggravated by the presence of invasive flora and the accumulation of waste.

One of the main advantages of this project is that it will, among other things, prevent flooding in the area. During the last heavy rains in March, the river overflowed and the emergency services had to evacuate eight houses in the Cortijo Blanco area.

The work has been awarded for 1.5 million euros, with a completion period of one year. The project is divided into several stages: creation and adaptation of river paths; installation of environmental information panels; elimination of invasive species and planting of native flora, such as oleanders and willows, which have not been able to flourish due to other species.

In addition, public recreational and sport areas will be created to bring people closer to the river habitat.

Ecological connector

Another point of this project is the ecological connector linking the mountain range and the coast. The river is classified as an area of special attention in the Natura 2000 network, which gives it even more environmental richness.