The Vacamorta ponds: a written account of planned destruction in the Baix Empordà county

Abstract

The wetlands of Vacamorta started to appear halfway through the 20th century as a result of the clay mining activity between Cruïlles and Corçà in the Baix Empordà county (NE Catalonia, SW Europe). Over time, the abandoned pools became natural ponds with a biological and landscape interest. However, these ponds have been deliberately filled in with clay or waste, without taking into account the numerous warnings from neighbours and naturalists. Today, the Government of Catalonia is currently obliged to remove more than three million tonnes of waste and reclaim the natural area to comply with a Supreme Court ruling. However, the proposed improvements are environmentally and biologically insufficient. For this reason, this article suggests several alternative actions that should allow the recovery of this wetland.