The restoration of the Maspalomas Dunes, an example for countries like Cape Verde

Maspalomas (Gran Canaria), June 13 (EFE).- The projects being carried out to restore the degraded ecosystem of the Maspalomas Dunes in southern Gran Canaria, which have yielded encouraging results in recent years, are serving as an example for replication in other countries such as Cape Verde and other islands.

This was confirmed this Friday by the manager of the Maspalomas Dunes Nature Reserve, Marta Martínez, during a visit to the works, which have protected 14,000 cubic meters of sand retained in the environment thanks to the actions carried out: planting of balancones—a species native to the dune ecosystem—, installation of sand traps, and other maintenance work.

This milestone has been achieved by the Masdunas project, fully funded by the Gran Canaria Island Council and now in its second phase after beginning studies in 2018 on how to recover the dune ecosystem following a long period of degradation. This project now hopes to be temporarily extended to reinforce what has already been achieved.

Monitoring and third phase of the project

In this regard, Martínez emphasized the importance of "monitoring" the results obtained and the scientific methodology used "to see how the system is progressing and how these initiatives are working," which provides the team with "guidelines for action to improve the management of this natural space."

A third phase of Masdunas, which the president of the Gran Canaria Island Council, Antonio Morales, ratified during the visit, would serve to complete the planting of balancones in strategic locations—which contribute to creating dunes where one of these shrubs exists—and maintain them so that the system is fully recovered.

And with these 14,000 cubic meters retained in the ecosystem, it has been possible to recover up to 85% of the degraded surface of the dune front that is most exposed to climate change and the effects of tourism in the area.

Contributions of sand and institutional collaboration

Before that, according to Martínez, another 60,000 cubic meters of sand from La Bajeta point had been relocated within the system, which is added to the work to reinforce the coastal dune and the contributions made by the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council of sand collected from the Costa Canaria promenade, which the wind carries there.

Avoid anthropization of the dune system

Within the framework of this project in the Maspalomas Dunes, we aim to minimize the human overgrowth of the fragile ecosystem, which includes two of the most visited tourist beaches in the Canary Islands: Maspalomas itself and Playa del Inglés.

To this end, the southern city council has coordinated the gradual relocation of the hammock area and kiosks along the beachfront, since everything that happens in front of the dune "is extremely important to the ecosystem," according to the nature reserve manager.

The rock and wood goros that existed in the area—human-made shelter structures—which originated from the natural paleobars, a geological heritage of the island, have also been removed and replaced by new dunes linked to the balancones.

International interest in the Masdunas model

"All of this gives us a snapshot of the success of this project, which has attracted other countries like Cape Verde and other islands to use as an example for dune system rehabilitation," Martínez said.

According to the scientist, those interested in the progress achieved with this project—and with others being carried out in the area, such as the creation of micro-islands for birdlife in the Maspalomas pond—do so because of the positive results obtained, the methodology implemented, and the similar characteristics that Gran Canaria may have with their respective territories.

The planting of sand pits and the installation of sand traps are success stories that serve as benchmarks for teams that had not been able to achieve anything similar until now.

Climate benchmark with digital projection

But also relevant, he noted, was the fact that they carried out this monitoring throughout the project, reflected in documents published on their official website and which have served as a reference for these teams around the world.

In this regard, the island's Environment Minister, Raúl García Brink, has elaborated, measures for "climate change adaptation don't really exist" in the world, as there is no university training in this area, something he has realized by attending European meetings.

"What people are doing is taking cuts, but in the end, what's also clear is that climate change adaptation measures can't be copied completely; they have to be adapted to the reality of each region," the minister clarified.

More investment to consolidate success

Thus, the measures adopted in recent years in Maspalomas are precisely the most suitable for recovering this degraded ecosystem.

A project that will be strengthened, Antonio Morales has announced, with an additional investment aimed at improving signage, sensors, and digitalization of the space, as well as eliminating invasive species and restoring native flora. EFE

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