The Besòs river mouth in Sant Adrià de Besòs is set for major environmental restoration after securing European Union funding worth €2.7m.
The project, named ‘ReViuBesòs’, is being led jointly by the Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB) and Sant Adrià council. It is one of 12 renaturing projects across Spain awarded co-financing through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).
The plan involves creating a parallel river channel to protect wildlife, restoring existing lagoons, and adding new wetlands that connect with the main course of the river. A saline pool will also be built to support the reintroduction of endangered fartet fish, a species native to Mediterranean wetlands.
Work will also improve public access, with reorganised footpaths and cycling routes designed to reduce human impact while encouraging sustainable leisure use.
Officials say the project builds on two decades of efforts to transform the Besòs from a heavily polluted river into a natural space that supports biodiversity. “This is about resilience in the face of climate change,” the AMB said in a statement, highlighting the importance of wetlands in storing water and preventing flooding.
Construction is expected to begin in the coming months, with the project scheduled to be completed within three years.
Source: El Periodico
