Spain has provisionally selected 66 applications for ecological restoration grants covering 407.14 hectares of agricultural land around Doñana, including areas now or previously occupied by strawberry and other berry-growing tunnels. The proposals involve €28.5 million in support, according to a 14 October statement from Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition (MITECO). The awards are not yet final.
The shortlist was drawn from 118 applications that submitted the required documentation on time. Another 11 were placed on a reserve list. The scheme, administered through Fundación Biodiversidad, forms part of the government’s wider programme to restore Doñana and ease pressure on its aquifer.
Most shortlisted land has a berry-growing history
According to the ministry, almost all of the proposed restoration sites have or have previously had protected strawberry or soft-fruit production. That distinction matters: the 407.14 hectares cannot be read as 407 hectares of operating greenhouses scheduled for removal. Some of the land may no longer be in commercial covered production.
Almonte accounts for 14 applications and 226.07 hectares, the largest area in the provisional group. Lucena del Puerto accounts for 33 applications and 100.92 hectares; Bonares has 13 applications involving 30.62 hectares. The balance is distributed among Rociana del Condado, Moguer and a joint application.
Water savings are projected, not measured
The ministry estimates that restoring the shortlisted land could reduce irrigation demand by approximately 1.8 million cubic metres per year (1.8 hm³), based on irrigation allowances for strawberries and other berries in the Guadalquivir basin plan. This is a forecast associated with possible land-use change, not a measured reduction already delivered.
For growers and landowners, the proposal points to a funded pathway for converting eligible parcels away from intensive irrigation. It does not establish which individual holdings will ultimately receive grants, their final payment amounts or the timetable on which production and land-use rights will change.
Ten-working-day objections period
The government has opened a ten-working-day period for objections to the provisional resolution. Applicants must demonstrate compliance with the applicable rules on outstanding final sanctions involving water, the environment and urban planning. The final list may change after this review; no grant disbursement was confirmed in the announcement.
Key takeaways
- 66 of 118 eligible applications have been provisionally selected for €28.5 million covering 407.14 hectares.
- The land has current or historical strawberry/berry greenhouse use; it is not all confirmed to be operating covered production today.
- Estimated annual irrigation savings of 1.8 million cubic metres are conditional on implementation, while final grant decisions remain pending.
Featured image: protected strawberry cultivation included in the 14 October MITECO press statement. It is an illustrative official photograph, not a confirmed shortlisted parcel. Credit: MITECO.
