Yzabelle Bostyn
ALCUDIA is about to undergo major change as the WWF restores 50 hectares of wetlands.
The project, Restauralcudia, has been underway since 2017 and has just hit a major milestone.
Together with nearby hotels, schools, the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) and the local council, the WWF has restored the area, removing tonnes of rubbish and invasive plants.
Now, they are set to create a natural paradise for locals and tourists alike.
By December 2025, they will create 13 lakes from the existing two lagoons, enriching Alcudia’s biodiversity.
“This is a really important area for Alcudia, there are many different habitats, including saltwater and freshwater lagoons, they attract hundreds of species,” explains WWF Coordinator, Carlota Viada.
To accommodate them, the project will add 40 nests for small birds and bats, make the lakes deeper for toads and create small islands as a refuge for cormorants, ospreys, kestrels and barn owls.
The lakes, in Maristany and el Estany dels Ponts, will be surrounded by public paths and a biodiversity guide will be available to guide visitors.
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Some of Spain’s olympic kayaking team even trains in the wetlands and they have been helping the WWF to save the habitats.
Experts from UIB have also been taking water samples and monitoring birdlife in the area, which is showing steady numbers.
Not only to encourage wildlife, the project also aims to curb flooding which hits Alcudia every year, often damaging the port and beach.
The land was originally owned by Santander Bank but was donated to the local council.
Once a protected area, hotels sprung up in the 1960s and the lagoons laid as a forgotten dump for over 50 years.
“They are jewels in the middle of hotels,” said Viada.
“In fact, they have asked for them to be cleaned up again and again, they are really happy and fully support the project.”
Restauralcudia is fully financed by €2.2 million in EU Next Generation funds.
