Description
The Marjal dels Moros is a coastal wetland of exceptional ecological value located in the Valencia region, along the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Designated as a Ramsar site, Special Protection Area (SPA), and Site of Community Importance (SCI) within the Natura 2000 network, it is one of the most important wintering and breeding areas for waterbirds in the western Mediterranean. Despite its ecological significance, the site is under severe pressure from urban expansion, intensive agriculture, hydrological alterations, and invasive species. These factors have led to habitat degradation, reduced water quality, and declining populations of priority bird species.
Through this project, Fundación Global Nature aims to restore degraded areas of the Marjal dels Moros, improve water management and quality, and enhance the site’s capacity to mitigate climate change through blue carbon storage. The project builds on more than 30 years of conservation work by FGN in Mediterranean wetlands and complements ongoing actions under the Valencia Wetlands Strategy and Spain’s National Restoration Plan.
Key activities will include hydrological restoration through the installation of control structures to improve water retention and salinity balance, removal of invasive species, and reintroduction of native halophytic vegetation. The project will also assess the site’s carbon sequestration potential and develop a methodology for quantifying and monitoring blue carbon in Mediterranean wetlands, contributing to Spain’s national climate commitments.
In parallel, FGN will engage local stakeholders, including farmers, the regional administration, and the Sagunto municipality, to promote sustainable land management practices and increase awareness of the ecological and socio-economic value of wetlands. The project will serve as a demonstration site, showcasing scalable restoration methods that can be replicated in other Mediterranean coastal wetlands.
