Tablas de Daimiel National Park (Parque Nacional de las Tablas de Daimiel) is a wetland located on the La Mancha plain, a mostly dry area in the province of Ciudad Real. The park covers about 3,000 hectares and is the smallest of Spain’s fifteen national parks. Its protected area includes parts of the towns of Daimiel and Villarrubia de los Ojos. Efforts are underway to expand the park beyond its original boundaries to include nearby dryland farming areas. This expansion aims to help protect the wetland, which has suffered damage due to the overuse of water resources.
In addition to being a national park, the site is recognized internationally.
History
The Tablas de Daimiel, like other Spanish wetlands, had a long history of waterfowl hunting. As early as 1325, Don Juan Manuel, a nobleman, wrote about the river Gigüela’s banks in his hunting book, Libro de la caza, describing how they were used for falconry. The area’s water resources also supported fishing and powered mills. In 1575, King Philip II ordered the creation of the Topographic Relations, a collection of reports that included instructions to protect the Tablas. The wetland’s value for hunting helped it stay somewhat protected through the 20th century. However, in the 1950s, the government started land reclamation projects in La Mancha to reduce wetland areas. Despite this, Franco, a leader, hunted ducks in the region, and in 1966, the Tablas became a National Hunting Reserve.
In 1963, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) began a project called MAR to protect and manage wetlands. This project created a list of wetlands of global importance to support an international agreement on wetlands. The plan focused on protecting wetland habitats rather than individual species. In 1973, the Tablas de Daimiel were declared a National Park. In 1980, the park was expanded, and UNESCO added the area to a biosphere reserve. In 1982, the Tablas were added to the Ramsar Convention list, which is an international treaty for wetland conservation and sustainable use. In 1987, the area was designated a Special Protection Area for birds under the European Union’s Birds Directive.
Characteristics
The park is the only remaining example of floodplain wetlands in the dry central region of the Iberian Peninsula. Located downstream from the Upper Guadiana Basin, the park plays a key role in the movement and recycling of nutrients in the environment.
The wetland area experiences regular seasonal flooding, which was previously supported by both river overflow and water from underground sources. The park covers an area of 19.28 square kilometers, with approximately 17 square kilometers being the most frequently flooded. The park is one of Spain's most important aquatic ecosystems and may have been the largest inland wetland in the country. It is also significant because it serves as a stopover for many migratory birds, such as ducks and geese.
Biological patrimony
Las Tablas de Daimiel have two types of water that create a unique ecosystem: the Guadiana River provides fresh water, while its tributary, the Gigüela, provides brackish water.
The fresh water from the Guadiana River supports the growth of the common reed (Phragmites australis, Phragmites communis). The brackish water from the Gigüela River supports the growth of marsh plants, especially the great fen-sedge (Cladium mariscus).
The great fen-sedge was very common and once covered one of the largest areas in Western Europe. In the shallowest parts of the wetlands, groups of bulrushes (genus Typha, Scirpus lacustris, Scirpus maritimus) and rushes (genus Juncus) grow.
Charophytes' grasslands are a key feature of the National Park. These grasslands are made up of plants from the genus Chara (Chara hispida, Chara major, Chara canescens), which are also called "ovas" locally. These plants can form nearly continuous fields. The only trees present are tamarisks (Tamarix gallica, Tamarix canariensis).
Birds such as the purple heron (Ardea purpurea), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), little egret (Egretta garzetta), black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), great bittern (Botaurus stellaris), red-crested pochard (Netta rufina), northern shoveler (Anas clypeata), wigeon (Anas penelope), northern pintail (Anas acuta), common teal (Anas crecca), Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo), Slavonian grebe (Podiceps auritus), black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus), zitting cisticola (Cisticola juncidis), and bearded reedling (Panurus biarmicus) live in the area.
The European freshwater crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) was once very common and an important resource for local families. Today, it is nearly gone from these waters. After the introduction of the northern pike (Esox lucius), a large predator, other native species like the barbel (Barbus barbus), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), and chub (Leuciscus cephalus) are now endangered.
In spring and summer, amphibians and reptiles such as the European tree frog (Hyla arborea), Perez's frog (Pelophylax perezi), common toad (Bufo bufo), grass snake (Natrix natrix), and water snake (Natrix maura) can be found.
Mammals such as the European polecat (Mustela putorius), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European otter (Lutra lutra), water vole (Arvicola amphibius), European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Cape hare (Lepus capensis), least weasel (Mustela nivalis), and wild boar (Sus scrofa) also live in or near the wetlands.
Conservation issues
In recent years, the need for water in farming near the park has caused wetlands to shrink. Too much use of water has lowered the underground water level. A key water storage area, called "aquifer 23," has not refilled because of the "Badajoz (irrigation) Plan" started in 1952 and because officials did not act quickly to address concerns from groups of farmers who grow cereals. Water users are allowed to use about 590 million cubic meters of water each year, but only about 320 million cubic meters of water is naturally available each year.
To avoid a fine from the European Union, Spain proposed in 1995 a plan to bring water from the Tagus River to the Mancha Húmeda area. This water was meant only for cities and protected areas, not for farming. However, the plan faced criticism. First, it assumed that two dry water storage areas could not recover and ignored future water needs. Second, it aimed to replace natural water systems, which many people found unnatural. Conservation groups argued that solutions should focus on the Guadiana basin instead.
Some ecological groups suggested that the park's status as a biosphere reserve should be removed because its ecosystem has been harmed. In 2008, a UNESCO report said the park might lose its biosphere status or Spain might be given a deadline to fix the damage. Spain was given time to improve the situation.
In 2008, a 29-year, €5 million restoration plan called the "Special Upper Guadiana Plan" began to help the western Mancha aquifers. The European Union Water Directive requires wetlands to be in good condition by 2015. Some flexibility was given for difficult cases, like the Tablas de Damiel and the Mancha Húmeda, leading to a 2027 deadline. This plan uses a system to set water limits based on social and environmental needs while considering how efficiently water is used.
In 2009, a plan was announced to use recycled water to help wetlands recover. However, some experts doubted this would refill the dry aquifers. In the summer of 2009, fires burned dry peat in the area. These fires were not new but showed further damage to the wetlands. In early 2010, heavy rain improved conditions slightly. However, experts said real progress would require reducing the area used for irrigated cereals and increasing crops that need less water, like traditional dry farming and horticulture. The plan also includes buying water rights to help the park and reallocate water to more efficient uses, such as vine and horticulture farming, which use less water and generate more income.
Despite these efforts, Spain's economic challenges have limited funding for the plan. European subsidies often support reforestation after land was cleared for cereals. Under the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy in 2010, cereals received more subsidies than other crops. A policy review in 2013 will affect the future of the Mancha Húmeda. Local economic developments, such as solar energy, ecotourism, better agricultural products, and environmental services like carbon storage, will also influence the area's future.