Donana national park in Andalucia is celebrating its 40th anniversary.The director of the park and the Andalucia Minister for the environment plus other central environmentalists have spoken out at the ceremony.
The director has stated that it is not possible for the park to continue dealing with the quantity of nitrates which it is being subjected to.He also complained about the constant withdrawal of waer from the aquifers.Many have gone down by 18 metres and naturally this affects the vegetation and wildlife in the park.He wants the national government to make a major investment in this natural space as they have done in Ciudad Real with Daimiel natural park.
In 1998 when when a mine reservoir in Sevilla ruptured a wall was built to keep out contamination.It was erected at the boundries of the park to keep out the sea contamination and was known as the “wall of shame”.Once the threat receded then the wall was removed but the nitrate levels from the Guadiamar river into the marshlands of Donana have not been stemmed.There is some good news via the Ley de Aguas water policy for incentives for ecological agriculture .Hopefully this will accelerate and protect the environment in the area.
