The Nervión river basin revives three degraded areas based on environmental and ecological restoration criteria
15/02/2023
The action is being led by Alava Provincial Council as part of the LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050 project and is being implemented in the municipalities of Amurrio, Aiara/Ayala and Laudio/Llodio.
In many cases, human activity is responsible for degrading the environment in natural habitats such as river basins, which are one of the areas of action of the LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050 project. Within this framework, the project is carrying out actions such as C.5.1. Nature-based solutions (NBS) in river basins, aimed at managing the risk of flooding along stretches of rivers in the Basque Country and helping them to adapt to climate change.
One of these actions is located in the Nervión river basin, where Alava Provincial Council has begun work on reviving three degraded areas in the municipalities of Amurrio, Aiara/Ayala and Laudio/Llodio, based on environmental and ecological restoration criteria. The specific action is being taken at sites in Refor, Zankueta and Abaiagarri (Amurrio), Murga (Aiara/Ayala) and Arantzar (Laudio/Llodio).
The project to revive these areas has three main objectives:
- To improve the riparian forest in terms of continuity, cover and composition.
- To improve ecological connectivity.
- To improve degraded spaces.
The work to restore the river along the above-mentioned stretches, which will involve planting around 7,000 trees and shrubs, along with meadows and woody species on an additional area of 800 m2, is expected to contribute to:
- Improve the functioning of the river as an ecosystem and increase biodiversity.
- Reduce the hydrological risk of floods by dissipating their energy.
- Act as a perpendicular filter to the watercourse against agricultural and other chemical pollutants.
- Occupy the riverside space, thereby preventing it from being degraded by other harmful uses.
- Control the invasion of aggressive pioneer species.
- Re-establish an ecological river corridor of native species.
- Contribute to carbon sequestration by installing a layer of vegetation.
- Improve environmental and scenic features, and the habitat and shelter for many species in the area.
- Improve the environmental and aesthetic quality of the riverbanks, by encouraging their recreational and educational use.
