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When ecologists want the Nature Park to be taken away
By h.b. - Sep 7, 2007 - 9:19 AM
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The Tablas de Daimiel wetlands - Photo Ministry for the Environment
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The Tablas de Daimiel wetlands are no longer wet
EDITORIAL COMMENT

The main ecologist organisations in Spain, Greenpeace, SEO/Birdlife, Ecologistas en Acción and the World Wildlife Fund/Adena have this week all called on UNESCO to remove the ‘Biosphere Reserve’ classification from the ‘Tablas de Daimiel’ marshlands in Castilla – La Mancha.

What at first glance may appear as a publicity stunt is in fact a harsh warning about what has been happening in the region.
The ecologists’ argument is simple – The marshlands can no longer be considered as marshlands, if the marsh has gone and the park has dried out.

Rather than the effects of global warming, here the damage has been done by man with literally thousands of illegal wells which have been taking water from the Ciudad Real water table for decades. The ecologists say the little water that does remain in Tablas de Daimiel is only there because of the Government pumping water into the area and the transfer from the Tajo.

The ecologists hope their call to UNESCO will generate international pressure on the Government, while here in Spain the Minister for the Environment, Cristina Narbona, has abandoned plans for a new national water management plan, claiming a lack of time this parliament. In fact the Government are probably more concerned about setting up more differences with the regions of Spain just ahead of a General Election.

If this comment draws a little more attention to a problem which is not going to go away without legislation, then so much the better.


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