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Environmental restoration of the Maspalomas dune system (MASDUNAS Project)

Author: Miguel Ángel Peña Estévez/Fototeca CENEAM

The Masdunas project is a pilot initiative born with the aim of finding the appropriate solutions to halt, as much as possible, the environmental degradation that has occurred over the past 50 years in the Maspalomas Dunes, largely due to the unsustainable use of its resources. The aim is to prevent the potential disappearance of the mobile dune field in the coming years, thus preserving its environmental value and its significance as a tourist attraction.

The most significant erosion factors impacting the dune system are storms and the changes brought about by climate change. Additionally, the dunes face threats from significant human-induced alterations to the natural wind systems, which have been disrupted by urban development in recent years.

Given that the Maspalomas dune system is an area of special scientific interest, designated as both a Nature Reserve and a Special Area of Conservation, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria has implemented a series of protection and conservation measures. These efforts are being developed through the Masdunas pilot project.

Case Study Description
Challenges: 

The dunes of the Maspalomas Reserve are composed of sediments resulting from the erosion of volcanic rocks and the decomposition of marine organisms such as foraminifera and calcareous algae. Sea currents deposit these sediments on the shore, and once they dry, the wind carries them inland. There, plants like balancones (Traganum moquinii) facilitate their gradual accumulation.

Another portion of the sand accumulates around the balancones and is deposited behind them, forming small windward dunes that eventually converge into larger dunes, which move inland. These are called barchan dunes. The merging of several barchan dunes forms more complex dunes known as barchanoid ridges, which are the primary type of dune that makes up the mobile dunes of Maspalomas.

There is no record of dunes in Maspalomas in any historical chronicle prior to around 1800, leading to the belief that they originated in 1755 as a direct consequence of an Atlantic tsunami, which likely altered the seabed in Maspalomas and deposited the sand that today forms the dunes and the ecosystem of La Charca de Maspalomas.

Until the 1960s, when major tourist development began, the dunes remained in their natural state, bordered by agricultural fields of wheat and tomatoes, and were home to ducks, terns, and numerous migratory birds that bred in the area.

The environmental degradation experienced since then, both within the Nature Reserve and in its immediate surroundings, is largely due to significant urban-tourist development, which has disrupted the natural wind systems in the area. These factors have been further exacerbated by climate change, with increased erosion, coastal flooding, and rising sea levels.

Given these conditions, the fundamental challenges facing the MASDUNAS project are:

  • Addressing the knowledge gap on the environmental restoration of arid coastal dunes.
  • Enhancing the management of protection and conservation efforts within the Masdunas Special Nature Reserve.
  • Establishing measures to prevent sand loss and improve the environmental quality of the dune system.
  • Implementing interventions in an area heavily used by tourism year-round.
  • Building on the limited experience in managing metaprojects (a set of projects that, while making sense individually, generate positive synergies when executed in coordination).
  • Improving communication between administrations, public and private entities, and social and scientific stakeholders, fostering coordinated networking and the exchange of experiences and knowledge.
Objectives: 

The emergence of climate change, with the more frequent occurrence of extreme events such as coastal floods, together with the set of human activities linked to tourist-urban uses, will irreversibly erode and degrade the dune system of Maspalomas and its Nature Reserve, if no action is taken.

In this sense, the environmental problems of the Maspalomas dunes are due to four major factors:

  • Sediment erosion, produced by the alteration of wind flow, which causes the loss of sand to the sea, an increase in vegetation cover in inland areas, a reduction in the areas occupied by dunes, and an increase in eroded surfaces (deflation areas).
  • The loss of balancones (Traganum moquinii), which regulate the transport of sand and favour the formation of barchan dunes and barjanoid ridges, characteristic of this mobile dune system.
  • The loss of biodiversity, as a result of the above factors, intense and unregulated public use in the area, and the presence of invasive alien species, which disrupt the ecosystem’s functioning and lead to the loss of its natural heritage.
  • Landscape degradation and public use impacts, including the creation of new trails, trampling of vegetation, disruption of dune dynamics, littering, etc., which generate negative impacts on the local biota and territory.

Faced with this problem, the objectives pursued by MASDUNAS are:

  • Establish a model of action to stop the sediment erosion of the organogenic sands on the beaches of Maspalomas, El Inglés, and the Special Nature Reserve of the Maspalomas Dunes.
  • Protect the current populations of balancones (Traganum moquinii) by cordoning off and signposting.
  • Reforest with balancones to restore their role as dune formers.
  • Control invasive plant and animal species in the Nature Reserve. • Remove windbreak shelters (goros) made with plant material or stones by users in the area.
  • Mark and signpost the official trails of the Nature Reserve.
  • Control and eradicate illegal structures in the area.
  • Effectively communicate the actions to the population.
Adaptation measures implemented in the case study: 
Structural/physical: Ecosystemic options
Institutional: Laws and regulations
Institutional: National and governmental policies and programs
Social: Education options
Social: Information options
Solutions: 

Faced with the situations and scenarios indicated, the Ministry of the Environment of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria had three options:

  • not intervene at all, allowing the ecosystem to continue degrading
  • completely close off the beaches and the Nature Reserve to the public
  • proceed with the environmental rehabilitation of the dune system and the Nature Reserve

The first option was rejected, given that the Ministry has a legal mandate to manage this ecosystem, both as a Nature Reserve and as a Special Area of Conservation (Natura 2000 Network).

Moreover, this ecosystem is the foundation of a robust tourism industry that has been operating year-round for over half a century. This means it is a crucial source of employment (social impact) and wealth (economic impact). Consequently, the second option, closing the beach and the Reserve, was also discarded, as it would disrupt these benefits, not to mention the social and political-administrative problems it would generate.

In either of the first two cases, the response would be limited to merely mitigating the degradation process and would fail to address the issue of sand loss.

Ultimately, the third option was chosen: to proceed with environmental rehabilitation through the design, consensus, processing, financing, and execution of the MASDUNAS project.

The planned actions focus primarily on two key aspects:

1.- To halt the sand loss in the dune system by:

  1. Repositioning sand from Punta de la Bajeta to Playa del Inglés, relocating more than 60,000 m³ of sand dredged from the Punta de la Bajeta area, up to a maximum defined by the 1995 beach profile. The extracted sand is deposited in the dry beach area of Playa del Inglés, where it is naturally transported by the wind to the coastal dunes, which are characterized by the presence of balancones (Traganum moquinii).
  2. Installing sand collectors designed for arid conditions and reintroducing specimens of balancones to facilitate dune formation and regulate the movement of sand inland. Loose specimens of balancones are planted in plots, along with various models of sand catchers, to determine the most effective solution for the environmental restoration of the Maspalomas dunes.
  3. Scientific monitoring to assess the effectiveness of the implemented measures, track the reintroduced sand’s evolution, and evaluate the capacity of the different sand collectors and balancones to create dunes and regulate sand movement inland.

2.- To improve the environmental quality of the dune system to restore biodiversity and enhance the management of public use of the Reserve, including the following actions:

  1. Replanting balancones using specimens grown from seeds or cuttings, in the northern area of Playa del Inglés and the interdune hollows of Cañada de la Penca. These seedling stands are cordoned off to prevent trampling and are watered for the first 9 months.
  2. Enhancing biodiversity by reducing the presence of invasive species, primarily plants, that displace native biota. Efforts focus on eliminating species using approved methods that prevent their spread and regrowth, targeting:
  • rabogato (Pennisetum setaceum)
  • ricino (Ricinus communis)
  • aromo (Acacia farnesiana)
  • tunera (Opuntia dillenii)
  • tabaco moro (Nicotiana glauca)
  • mato azul (Maireana brevifolia)
  • verdolaga playera (Sesuvium portulacastrum)
  • turbito (Schinus terebenthifolius)
  1. Eliminating windbreaks within the Reserve, both in restricted use and exclusion zones. These "goros" are often constructed with dry branches extracted from tamarisk trees (Tamarix canariensis), posing a fire hazard in addition to being visually disruptive.
  2. Re-signposting trails to balance public use of the system with conservation. This involves work on 8 km of trails within the Reserve, with over 1,500 vertical bollards and informational signs, particularly around the exclusion zone, to prevent site degradation due to lack of awareness.

In addition to these actions, it is essential to raise awareness among the public and users of the Reserve and adjacent beaches about the severe disruption caused by disregarding the area's rules. Only through education and compliance can we prevent environmental degradation and preserve and enhance the dune system and the Maspalomas Nature Reserve.

Importance and relevance of the adaptation: 

In the Maspalomas Nature Reserve, several environments can be distinguished based on the mobility of the sand, vegetation cover, and type of substrate. Additionally, the location of the Maspalomas dunes on an alluvial fan is of great ecological importance, as it determines the presence of groundwater at shallow depths. This allows for the existence of plant species that require more water, such as tamarisks (Tamarix canariensis) and reeds (Juncus acutus), which are generally uncommon in dune fields. Furthermore, the dunes extend onto the adjacent underwater platforms surrounding the Reserve.

All of this makes the area a natural system of great uniqueness, one that is of critical importance to conserve and protect. The Maspalomas dune system is highly exposed to the risks associated with climate change, particularly due to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall, which increase sand mobility, facilitating vegetation growth and leading to sand loss.

Moreover, the anticipated rise in sea level, alterations in wind patterns, and changes in the intensity and frequency of marine storms further increase the vulnerability of these dune systems to the effects of climate change.

Therefore, in the current context of climate change, the conservation of the Maspalomas dune system is essential, both as an adaptation measure to protect the Reserve’s ecosystem and to preserve its recreational and tourist value.

Additionally, the development of a project such as MASDUNAS, beyond addressing these challenges, can serve as an inspiring model for action in other areas, particularly those with arid dune systems.

 
Additional Details
Stakeholder engagement: 

Before the project began, it was submitted to the Governing Board of the Nature Reserve for consideration, and the corresponding authorizations were obtained from various Public Administrations (Government of Spain, Government of the Canary Islands, City Council, and other relevant Ministries of the Island Council...).

It was also presented, prior to its launch, at professional forums such as Esparc (Congress of Europarc Spain). During its execution, a communication and participation program, already planned within the project itself, was activated. This has included the creation of a dedicated website, a YouTube channel, numerous talks, guided tours, technical conferences, explanatory videos, press releases, interviews on social media, printed materials, and more.

An effective collaboration has also been established between the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, which leads the project, the Demarcation of Coasts of the Canary Islands, and the City Council of San Bartolomé de Tirajana.

During the project's implementation, several MASDUNAS Conferences will be held. These will not only present the results obtained and provide tours of the actions but also host participatory workshops, giving different social sectors a voice in the potential re-launch of the project for the 2020-2021 biennium.

Project interest: 

MASDUNAS is a benchmark pilot initiative, as there is no other proposal of this nature in the world addressing a dune system like the one in Maspalomas. This system, due to the arid conditions in which its dunes develop, has different characteristics compared to coastal dunes in temperate and tropical environments.

The intervention is being conducted in a Nature Reserve characterized by four distinct environmental types:

  • A mobile dune area, stretching from Playa del Inglés to Playa de Maspalomas, consisting of interdune depressions and free transgressive dunes, with or without balancones, which move inland, driven by NE-E trade winds. These interdune depressions can be wet, due to shallow groundwater, or dry, not influenced by the water table. These depressions are critical for plant life, as they provide the starting point for the colonization of mobile dunes by plants.
  • A semi-stabilized dune area, located in the central part of the system, serves as a transition zone between the mobile dunes and the stabilized dunes, where sand mobility is significantly reduced, though still present. Vegetation begins to play a more prominent role in this area, covering a larger portion than in the mobile dune zone.
  • A stabilized dune area, further from the marine influence, where sand mobility is halted due to the lack of sand input caused by the barrier effect of the sedimentary terrace and the urban developments in Playa del Inglés. Vegetation nearly fully covers the stabilized dunes.
  • The ravine and La Charca de Maspalomas, where the coastal lagoon, the most significant wetland in Gran Canaria, fluctuates in size depending on climatic conditions.

The Maspalomas dune system has a sedimentary cycle in which wind and sea play fundamental roles. Sand enters the system through Playa del Inglés, driven inland by the NE trade winds. Once free dunes form, they move in an E-W and NE-SW direction until they reach Maspalomas beach. However, during SW storms, Maspalomas beach erodes, depositing part of the sand at Punta de la Bajeta. Some of these sediments re-enter the sedimentary cycle, while others fall to depths that prevent their re-entry, leading to a loss of sand as a natural "sink." This issue is being addressed by this ambitious project, which includes constant monitoring to assess the results of each action.

Given these conditions, MASDUNAS is a unique project, distinguished by three key points of interest:

  • Its pilot nature as an experimental protocol for action in arid coastal dune areas.
  • Its execution in an open area, with the work being carried out during low tourist seasons and sand relocation occurring at night.
  • Its involvement in an entire sedimentary cycle, aimed at reducing sand loss from the dune system to the sea.

  • Its ecosystem-based approach, addressing the problem holistically (geology, vegetation, fauna, habitats, public use, inter-administrative collaboration, communication, public participation, etc.)

Success and limiting factors: 

The actions developed by MASDUNAS are yielding extraordinary results to date, and it is expected that the project will continue. In this regard, the following success points can be highlighted:

  • A working protocol to prevent sedimentary erosion is being defined, including the types, arrangement, and density of sand catchers, the type and arrangement of vegetation, as well as the dates, volumes, and methods for sand movement. These tasks are supported by 16 LiDAR flights and extensive monitoring on land and in the adjacent marine SAC, generating a wealth of scientific literature.
  • A significant volume of lost sand has been replaced.
  • The local biota has improved due to the removal of invasive species.
  • The public use of the environment has been enhanced by remarking and signposting the 8 km of official trails.
  • Rocker stands have been cordoned off.
  • 14 photogrammetric flights have been completed, with restitution through digital elevation models.
  • The entire scientific monitoring programme has been implemented.
  • Numerous communication and participation actions have been carried out.

Among the benefits resulting from these actions, the following stand out:

  • The rehabilitation of the natural heritage of the area.
  • Enhanced qualification as a unique tourist destination.
  • Strengthened collaboration between the different administrations involved.
  • Increased environmental awareness, particularly in relation to the conservation of the coastal dune ecosystem.
Budget, funding and additional benefits: 

The total budget for the project is €1,155,018.33. While the initial funding was provided by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, it is now also co-financed by the FDCAN (Canary Islands Development Fund). The expenses are allocated as follows:

  • Civil works for the pilot project involving the replacement of sand from Punta de la Bajeta to Playa del Inglés: €553,819.52.
  • Scientific monitoring of sand movement: €261,116.00.
  • Actions related to biodiversity and public use: €277,577.65.
  • Communication plan: €62,505.16.
Legal aspects: 

The project is being executed under the legal authority that this Island Council holds in the management of protected natural areas, specifically the Special Nature Reserve of the Dunes of Maspalomas. Due to its ecosystem-based approach, the actions have extended beyond the administrative boundaries of the protected area.

The project has obtained all necessary permits and authorizations.

During the drafting phase, all relevant current regulations were considered, including the Law on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity, the Land Law of the Canary Islands, the Insular Plan for Territorial Planning of Gran Canaria, the Master Plan of the Nature Reserve, the Management Plan of the Special Area of Conservation, the Coastal Law, and Impact Legislation.

 
Implementation time: 

The project was in development for many years, but the executive phase began in July 2018 and will end in December 2019, giving it a duration of 18 months. However, as mentioned, a potential reissue or extension is expected for the 2020-2021 biennium.

Reference Information
Contact: 
  • Miguel Angel Peña Estévez
  • Ministry of the Environment of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria
  • General Coordinator of the MASDUNAS project
  • Curatorial Director of the RNE of Las Dunas de Maspalomas
  • Email: mapena@grancanaria.com
  • Telephone: 928 219 470 / 928 21 94 21 (switchboard)- Ext. 44115
Websites: 

https://masdunas.es/ 

Sources: 
  • Alcántara-Carrió J.; Fontán A.; Cólliga L.; Álvarez J.A.; Poveda J.M.; Peña M.A. 2007. Geophysical determination of the thickness of sands in the Maspalomas Dune Reserve (South of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands). Abstracts XII National Quaternary Meeting. Avila. pp: 71-72.
  • Alonso I.; Montesdeoca I.; Vivares A.; Alcántara-Carrió J. 2001. Approximation to the Modelling of the Coastal Dynamics of the Beaches of El Inglés and Maspalomas (Gran Canaria), 18: 17-27.
  • Alonso I.; Hernández L.; Mangas J.; Medina, R. 2008. Sedimentology, hydrology and geomorphology of the Maspalomas dune field. In: "Geological Itineraries through the Canary Islands". Pérez Torrado, F.J. & Cabrera, M.C. (eds.). Geological Society of Spain. Geo‐Guides, 5: 121‐136.
  • Alonso I.; Montesdeoca I.; Vivares A.; Alcántara-Carrió J. 2001. Granulometric and coastline variability on the beaches of El Inglés and Maspalomas. Geothemes, 1(3): 39-42.
  • Fontán A.; J. Alcántara-Carrió J.; Poveda M.; Peña M.A. 2007. Application of differential GPS, photogrammetry and geophysics techniques to the quantification of erosive processes and sedimentary balances on beaches and coastal dunes. Proceedings of the XII Congress of the Asoc. Remote Sensing Esp. Mar del Plata – Argentina. 4 pp.
  • Fontán A.; Alcántara-Carrió J.; Barranco A.; Rey J.; Pacheco A.; Montoya I.; Rey J.; Peña M.A. 2011. Integrated morphological analysis of the dunes, beaches and underwater platform (Maspalomas, Gran Canaria). Actas de las VI J. Geomorf. Littoral. Tarragona. 4 pp.
  • Hernández I.; Ruiz P.; Pérez-Chacón E.; Alonso I.; Suárez C.; Alcántara-Carrió J. 2002. Decadal Environmental Changes on the Dune Field of Maspalomas (Canary Islands): Evidences of an Erosive Tendency. In: “The changing coast.” Eurocoast (ed., F. Veloso F.; Taveira F.; Das Neves L. (eds.) Eurocoast. Porto – Portugal. pp: 293-298.
  • Hernández L. 2002. Analysis of the evolution of the dune system of Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands (1960‐2000). Dissertation. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. 406 pp.
  • Hernández L.; Ruiz P.; Alonso I.; Alcántara-Carrió J.; Pérez-Chacón E.; Suárez C. 2003. Transformations induced by tourism development in the dune field of Maspalomas (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands). International Journal of Geographic Information Science and Technology. Geofocus, 3: 127-142.
  • Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs. 2007. Comprehensive Study of the beach and dunes of Maspalomas. General Directorate of Coasts. 698 pp.
  • Peña Estévez, M.A., 2007. The Dunes Observatory and sedimentary erosion. Proceedings of the XIII Congress of Europarc – Spain. pp: 42-45.
  • Peña Estévez, M.A. 2012. A path for the stabilization of the sedimentary balance in the Maspalomas Dunes Species Nature Reserve. I Ibero-American Congress of Integrated Management of Coastal Areas. Cádiz 25-27 January. pp: 1867-1874
  • Master Plan for the Special Nature Reserve of the Maspalomas Dunes. 2004. Resol. of 9 December 2004, which makes public the Agreement of the Commission for Territorial Planning and Environment of the Canary Islands of 7 October 2004, relating to the definitive approval of the Special Plan for the Special Nature Reserve of the Dunes of Maspalomas (C‐7), municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana Gran Canaria). Official Gazette of the Canary Islands, 245 - Monday, December 20, 2004.
  • Insular Planning Plan of Gran Canaria. 2003. Decree 277/2003, of 11 November, which definitively approves the Insular Planning Plan of Gran Canaria, subject to the correction of the deficiencies noted by the Commission for Territorial Planning and Environment of the Canary Islands in a session held on 20 May 2003).