- Murcia to expropriate 3 million square metres to re-naturalise Mar Menor
Murcia are to expropriate 3 million square metres to re-naturalise the Mar Menor in what has been described as a ‘great wetland’, mirroring the Tablas de Daimiel – Ciudad Real – to protect the lagoon.
The expropriation process will begin, with the Government investing €1 million for the purchase of the lands – partly owned by the Army – and partly by individuals.
Regional president, Fernando López Miras, announced along with the mayor of Cartagena, Noelia Arroyo, the expropriation of the lands in El Carmolí – a volcanic cone located on the shores of the Mar Menor – for its re-naturalization.
The objective pursued by the regional government with this action is to protect and enhance the largest landscape window to the Mar Menor, recover biodiversity, create a natural barrier that protects the lagoon from run-off and prevent urban development in the area.
The announcement comes amid controversy with thousands of people demanding urgent measures to save the Mar Menor, as reported by the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida Leader.
“The El Carmolí area cannot be accessed by vehicles and the current road will become a great backbone for pedestrians and cyclists between urban centres, which will also act as a linear viewpoint”, said López Miras.
“No vehicles, we will create itineraries that allow you to enjoy on foot or by bicycle of the environmental and landscape wealth, and we will manage the existing infrastructures that are abandoned,” said López Miras.
“It is intended to end the four decades of neglect in which El Carmolí is found, through solutions based on nature for degraded spaces, in line with European guidelines, for which, he has estimated, the project could receive funding from the European recovery funds,” he added.
López Miras has criticised that a question of State – such as the Mar Menor – does not deserve any specific item in the General State Budgets, a situation that he cannot believe, and that he has described as being very unpleasant.
