Brussels, 4 February 2025
In early February each year, a tiny village around 100 km south-east of Madrid plays host to one of Europe’s most spectacular natural events. Thousands of cranes and other birds migrating from northern Europe to Africa stop over at the 1 000 ha El Hito Lagoon, a Natura 2000 and Ramsar protected site.
It’s almost as if the cranes time their visit to coincide with World Wetlands Day, which falls on 2 February. These majestic birds are a living reminder that rivers, lakes and marshes are among our most precious and vulnerable natural assets.
The theme of World Wetlands Day — Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future —could have been the slogan for LIFE EL HITO, a €3.1 million, 3-year LIFE project which closed just a couple of months ago. This year, the bird watchers and other visitors who flock to El Hito along with the cranes can enjoy a specially-built wooden observatory and wetland trail constructed by the project team.
The El Hito lagoon is home to threatened migratory bird species including the Little Bustard, Black-bellied sandgrouse and Dupont’s lark. It is also the second most visited site for migratory cranes on the Iberian plateau. Yet until recently, intensive farming and unregulated development were putting this biodiversity hotpot at risk.
‘We have encouraged farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices and to understand the value of El Hito,’ says Eduardo de Miguel, Director of project coordinator Fundación Global Nature. ‘We also provided financial aid to compensate for the damage to crops caused by cranes and other birds in their cereal fields lying within the protected area of the lagoon.’
In a pioneering compensation scheme, 600 farmers each receive up to €65 per ha for five years. ‘We are very pleased that financial compensation will continue to be paid by the regional government even after the end of the project,’ says local farmer Pepe Honduvilla. ‘It’s a way of thanking the farmers for everything they contribute to biodiversity, including protecting the birds.’
LIFE EL HITO also restored more than 40 ha of wetland to its previous natural condition; increased protected wetland by more than 500 ha; removed more than 7.5 km of fences and
3 000 m3 of rubble and waste; and planted 250 000 native plants. ‘These plants were eliminated in the last century when the area was converted to crop fields,’ explains Santos Cirujano, President of Fundación Global Nature. ‘But not surprisingly, these fields were not very productive due to their high salt content.’
LIFE EL HITO is just one of hundreds of LIFE projects restoring and protecting Europe’s precious wetlands. It supports the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, the 2030 biodiversity strategy, the 2050 Climate Strategy and the European Green Deal.
Source – EU Commission / Cinea