Discovering Doņana Ltd.

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National Park
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The Two Parks

The famous Coto Doņana is nothing but the protected area created in 1963 and named for the Spanish Government as Doņana National Park. An area that has been enlarged several times up to the actual  54,120 has.

In 1989 the Andalusian Administration step ahead of all the Spanish Communities with its Protected Sites Regulation by which some 18 new protected sites were created in the region. One of them was called Doņana Natural Park and it was to include among others a former area around the National Park called Pre-park. Overall some extra 54,000 has were efficiently protected in Doņana area.

The plan was to create a sort of buffer area to strength the protection of the National Park. Recently the Natural Park has been enlarged up to the actual 53,835 has.

So, historically, one of the main differences between National and Natural Park was that the first was managed by the National Administration and the second by the Regional Administration. That has recently changed. At present National Parks competencies in Spain have been transferred to the regional Administrations so now both parks depend on the Junta de Andalucía, the regional parliament.


We will see what these changes bring.

But other significant differences will remain the same. In the National Park Conservation of habitats and species is on top of the priorities list, along with Research for a better protection. Use of the Natural Resources and Public Uses remain in a lower category. Only some residual traditional activities are allowed.

In the other hand, the Natural Park gives the same kind of priority to Conservation - Research and Use of the Natural Resources; in such a way that activities like Intensive Farming, Grassing or even Hunting are allowed and regulated in certain areas.

Thus the conservation of ecosystems and species in Doņana is guaranteed at the same time that we allow the population in the area to keep living on the natural resources of their homeland.

Both parks try to have good examples of the 3 main ecosystems in the area:
         Sand dunes - Beaches
         Mediterranean forests - Scrubland
         Marshes