Asociación Pro Dunas Bahía de Marbella Playa La Adelfa

Marbella (Málaga) e-mail: asociacion@produnas.org

Our History . . .

WHO ARE WE...

The Association was founded on the 14th of September 2004, consisting of 9 members and is legally constituted with N.I.F. J9565875. The Association consists of: President - Vicepresident - Secretary and Founder members.
The Association was established as a non profitmaking organisation and is dependent on voluntary contributions.
The Association request a membership fee from its permanent ordinary members.
The Association has 3 classes of Membership: - Founder members - Ordinary members - Honorary members
The Association is governed by its statutes. It will convene an Annual General Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting from time to time.

The Association has over 161 members and more than 2.600 signatures from friends and supporters who are aware of the increasing degradation of the eco-systems and support the protection scheme for the Dunes. New members are always welcome.

CONTACT... e-mail: asociacion@produnas.org Views over mountain Hacho (Ceuta-Maroc) and Gibraltar

WHAT FOR ...

For the protection and preservation of the eco-systems and the natural environment in sand dunes territories, of the native flora and fauna and habitats of interest for the community in the scope of the coastline of the municipality of Marbella. The Association works tirelessly for the defence of the sand dunes, programming actions among which we can point out the eradication of exotic invasive plants, the hand cleaning of the sand dunes areas and the encouragement of eco-tourism with didactic tours through the dunes areas.

One of the goals of the Association, which was started at the end of the year 2004, is the request of the cataloguing of the “Dunas de La Adelfa” in Bahia de Marbella, as a Protected Natural Environment, under the label of “Natural Monument” with the proven existence of geological, landscaping and scientific wealth of this sand dunes area, as stated in the technical report we prepared. Four years later, on the 17^th of December of 2008, we submitted the technical report which complied with the criteria and contents of Annex 1 of Decree 255/1999 of the 9th of November, for the regulation and development of the classification as Natural Monument of Andalucia, justifying the declaration of the dunes as “Natural Monument” in support of the feasibility of the cataloguing and the protection of this area.

The proposal was submitted to the Provincial Council for the Environment and Bio-diversity of Malaga, in an ordinary session meeting 02/2008 (in compliance with what is established by art. 9 of Decree 255/1999), and the report from this Administration was Favourable to our request, thus carrying out the legal transactions for the cataloguing.

At the beginning of 2009, following up the transactions, an audience with the Town Hall of Marbella is set up (in accordance with article 8 of Decree 255/1999) to submit the reports, arguments and pertaining documents of the proposal for Cataloguing as “Natural Monument”. We received a favourable report here too, with the approval of the plenary session, and the proposal was passed on to the Provincial Delegation of the Environment Council of Malaga.

Label to be attached

The Association has set up "Sanecan" containers with plastic bags, in the area of the dunes, to encourage dog owners to pick up any mess from their dogs. Furthermore, graphic notices will be placed in order to make pet owners fully aware of their responsibilities

It is the Association's intention that the area of the Dunes can be kept as a "Natural Reserve" for the song-birds (Fringilidae) and encouraging them to nest and to rest in preparation for their migration south in the Autumn.

The Association is exerting pressure for the Law 8/2003 of 28^th October, to be applied to these Dunes and that the hunting of birds with nets in October and November each year should be declared illegal. Following our letter of the 20^th of September 2004, we have learned from the Environment-Ministry of the Andalusian Government: CONSEJERÍA DE MEDIO AMBIENTE de la Junta de Andalucía, that we have succeeded in obtaining an order for a complete ban on the hunting of the Fringilídae (finches) in the area from Cabopino (Artola) to Bahía de Marbella. The Andalusian Hunting Federation has been informed about this fact as well as the local Police, the Guardia Civil and the Environment Police. We are very pleased to have obtained this order in such a short time but we would also like to congratulate the Consejería de Medio Ambiente for their collaboration.

WHAT ELSE ...

	The Association is committed to: - Ensure that the Municipality of Marbella and the relevant authorities preserve the last sand dune areas of the Municipality of Marbella and watch over the “Protection Easements” and the “Maritime-terrestrial Public Domain” to ensure they are kept free of new construction and developments, securing a strip of eco-systems that act as a shield to the surge of the sea. To this end, we put every effort into: - Involve all relevant authorities, both at central government level as at regional and local government levels, to raise awareness and receive the necessary support in promoting the preservation of the natural Heritage of the province. - Promote citizen initiatives to encourage the protection and preservation of the below sand dune areas (amongst others which may be protected in a near future):
“Ignacio Coca” - La Reserva de los Monteros “La Adelfa” en Bahía de Marbella “Alicate” – Playa del Alicate “El Barronal de la Morena” – El Rosario/Chapas “Real de Zaragoza” – Elviria “La Víbora” – Elviria “Artola” – Monumento Natural de Cabopino - Promote the Declaration and Designation of these natural areas that have managed to survive the human pressure, developing a natural beauty, forming a geomorphologic grouping and representative eco-systems with a unique flora and fauna with outstanding ecological, aesthetic, educational and scientific values deserving preferential attention for their conservation as natural Heritage of this Region.
	Promote initiatives and organize events and Workshops: - Annual Public Awareness programmes on the wonderful bio-diversity to be found in the sand dune areas of the Municipality. - Public Awareness programmes on the importance of caring for and maintaining clean beaches. - Promote the environmental education of schoolchildren in and outside the Municipality of Marbella. - Organize guided walks through the sand dunes to encourage eco-tourisms for foreigners. - Spreading the incessant work of the Association on behalf of the wonderful eco-systems to be found in the municipality of Marbella, through the media, radio and television. - Detect and identify new emerging species of native flora in the sand dune areas. - Monitor and identify the fauna to be protected in the sand dune areas, such as: Red-tailed lizard, Moorish Wall Gecko, snakes, beetles and so on. - Promote the protection of Fringillidae birds (finches) along the coastal strip of the Municipality of Marbella, against abusive and indiscriminate catches.
- Summer programmes to prevent fires in the fragile sand dune areas. - Organize special workshops for the eradication of invasive alien plants as: Highway ice plant (Carpobrotus edulis), Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana), Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum), Century plant (Agave), Golden Wreath wattle (Acacia saligna), etc. - Collaboration with “Aula del Mar” in the rescue of beached cetaceans (dolphins) and sea-turtles.

Opinions a little summary. . .

. . .Acabo de entrar en vuestra web y me parece encomiable todo lo que estáis haciendo por nuestra querida zona de Bahía de Marbella. De no ser por iniciativas como la vuestra y la resolución y esfuerzo que estais dedicando a la defensa de las dunas y su entorno, a estas horas estaríamos lamentando el inicio de la obra de chiringuito y el consiguiente daño irreparable .F.C

. . .Very well done . . . G.J.C-S

. . .Muchas gracias por vuestro trabajo . . .W.F

. . .Thanks you very much . . .E.C

. . .Please do keep up your excellent work . . .D.T

. . .Felicitación! El primer paso en la dirección de la protección de las dunas . E.F

. . .Congratulations on your website. It looks very good . . .G.C

. . .Congratulations to all who helped achieve the ban on trapping birds . . .J.C.S

. . .Enhorabuena. Es una iniciativa fantástica y que Marbella necesita. . . J.C.A.

...Ihr macht wirklich eine Arbeit für Generationen. Ich bin sehr beeindruckt. Daher mein persönlicher Dank für Eure Arbeit mit Schülern und Lehrern. Denn diese kommende Generation ist unsere Zukunft. W.F.