Last updated: October 2021
The Environmental Conditioning Project of the surroundings of the Contraparada (Murcia) intends to environmentally recover one of the most emblematic cultural places in Murcia while enhancing a social and educational use of the area. The project intends to recover and regenerate the river ecosystem, which has practically disappeared and make it easy to visit and to contemplate. This intervention includes the creation of the infrastructure of education and research purposes. It is part the first of a four steps project to recover La Contraparada as a natural and cultural location (Ref 1).
Contraparada, Aerial View (Ref 1)
Source: Ref. 1
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Green corridors and green belts
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
Key challenges
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Improvements to water quality
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social interaction
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Preservation of historic traditions
Focus
Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Project objectives
The rehabilitation of the Contraparada is the main goal, with the following additional objectives: (Reference 5)
- Environmental Conservation and Restoration of the water and the surrounding area;
- Traditional irrigation systems knowledge explanation.
- Landscape conditioning.
- Recognition of the history of Contraparada.
-Development of tourism in the area.
- Cleanliness of the area.
- Reforestation.
Implementation activities
For the environmental restoration cleaning, grass cutting, elimination of vegetation and then revegetation activities were carried out. The Peña hill was also recovered and replanted with shrubs and tress characteristic of the environment.
The traditional surrounding orchards were also rehabilitated with their irrigation networks.
An interpretation center was constructed on the hill to illustrate the history and function of the Contraparada. Moreover, two pedestrian bridges were built, one at the Aljufia section and the other where the ancient Puente de la Ovejas stood. (ref 2)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen habitat connectivity
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
- Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
- Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
- Protect and apply traditional knowledge and conservation practices
Biodiversity restoration:
- Restore ecological connectivity
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- EU body
- Regional government
- Local government/municipality
- Citizens or community group
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Co-management/Joint management
- Citizen monitoring and review
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
In 2002, there an initiative made jointly between the government and several non-governmental organizations including: Confederación Hidrográfica del
Segura, the neighbours of the municipalitieso of Javalí Viejo y Javalí
Nuevo, cultural and ecological associations such the Asociación de Naturalistas del Sureste (ANSE),
Ecologistas en Acción, and la "Junta de Hacendados" (Ref 5).
Community Group “Hombres Buenos de la Huerta de Murcia” requested the rehabilitation of the area so that it could reflect its value as Intangible Heritage of Humanity, listed in 2009. (ref 1)
The City Government and the Confederation of the Segura River signed an agreement to pursue the rehabilitation project. (ref 1)
The City agreed to take over management after the Confederation had finished the planned works it financed in part, and with the FEDER funds. (ref 1)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
("COLLABORATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL OF MURCIA AND THE HYDROGRAPHIC SECURITY CONFEDERATION FOR PROMOTION, IMPULSE AND COOPERATION IN THE PROCESSING OF ACTIONS DERIVED FROM
LOCAL PROJECT "MURCIA RIO", an Agreement of the City Council and Confederation of the Segura River for the maintenance of the space. (ref 1)
)
Financing
Total cost
€10,000 - €50,000
Source(s) of funding
- EU funds
- Public regional budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Increased protection of threatened species
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Confederacion Hidrografica del Segura. (n.d.). Propuesta de buenas practicas de comunicación: Propuesta de Buenas Practicas de Actuacion Cofinanziada. Madrid: Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente – Unión Europea Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional. Available at: Source link (Accessed 1 August 2020)
2. EFE (2010).Destinan 191000 euros al servicio de control de las obras de acondicionamiento de la Contraparada. Murcia: Murcia. Available at : Source link (Accessed 1 August 2020)
3. Region de Murcia (CARM). (n.d). Obras de Acondicionamiento Medioambiental del Entorno de la Zona de la Contraparada (Murcia). Murcia: Región de Murcia. Available at: Source link (Accessed 1 August 2020)
4. Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente (2020). Recuperación Ambiental del Río Segura. Murcia: Acuamed. Available at: Source link (Accessed 1 August 2020)
5. Ayuntamiento de Murcia (2020). Más de un centenar de personas visitan los puntos de información ambiental de Contraparada y Majal Blanco en su primer fin de semana de reapertura. Available at: Source link (Accessed 2 August 2020)
2. EFE (2010).Destinan 191000 euros al servicio de control de las obras de acondicionamiento de la Contraparada. Murcia: Murcia. Available at : Source link (Accessed 1 August 2020)
3. Region de Murcia (CARM). (n.d). Obras de Acondicionamiento Medioambiental del Entorno de la Zona de la Contraparada (Murcia). Murcia: Región de Murcia. Available at: Source link (Accessed 1 August 2020)
4. Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente (2020). Recuperación Ambiental del Río Segura. Murcia: Acuamed. Available at: Source link (Accessed 1 August 2020)
5. Ayuntamiento de Murcia (2020). Más de un centenar de personas visitan los puntos de información ambiental de Contraparada y Majal Blanco en su primer fin de semana de reapertura. Available at: Source link (Accessed 2 August 2020)