The restoration of wetlands around the Ter River has become one of the most significant environmental initiatives in Girona in recent years. In a context of climate change, habitat loss, and pressure on water resources, restoring wetlands and natural floodplains has become a key tool for protecting biodiversity and improving the ecological status of rivers.
Within this framework lies the project developed by the Consorci del Ter and Nestlé in the Deveses d'en Bru area , very close to the Nescafé instant coffee and Nescafé Dolce Gusto capsule factory in Girona. The project has allowed for the recovery and creation of new freshwater ecosystems across 4,5 hectares, reinforcing the ecological function of this area, which is part of the Natura 2000 network.
A strategic riverine space next to the Ter
Les Deveses d'en Bru are located in a section of the Ter River basin with high scenic and floral value . This area, despite its proximity to industrial facilities, still retains a wealth of natural resources and is recognized within the Natura 2000 European network for its conservation importance.
The proximity of the Nescafé production plant in Girona has fostered public-private collaboration, facilitating the allocation of resources and efforts to the environmental improvement of the river's immediate surroundings and its floodplains. The goal has been to reconcile economic activity with the conservation of river ecosystems, promoting a more integrated approach to land management.
The project has not been limited to small, isolated actions, but has undertaken a comprehensive intervention on the existing system of ponds and banks. The renaturalization of the main pond and the creation of new areas of temporary flooding have shaped a mosaic of water-related habitats, with varying depths and water regimes.
This diversity of conditions is especially relevant in the context of the Ter River and its tributaries , where flow regulation, periods of drought and alteration of the riverbanks have gradually reduced the spaces suitable for amphibians, water birds and invertebrates.
How wetlands have been restored
One of the main focuses of the project has been the reshaping of the slopes and the naturalization of the banks of the existing main pond. Modifying the gradient and shape of the banks has created smoother transitions between water and land, resulting in small beaches and shallow areas.
This redesign has facilitated wildlife access to the water , which is especially important for amphibians, shorebirds, and small mammals that need banks without steep slopes to move and feed. At the same time, these more natural slopes help reduce erosion and stabilize the terrain with the help of vegetation.
In addition, temporary ponds have been created , designed to fill with water at certain times of the year and dry up completely or partially at others. These types of seasonal wetlands are among the most vulnerable and threatened freshwater habitats in Europe, despite their enormous ecological value.
Taken together, the network of permanent and temporary ponds and the newly restored riverbanks has created natural spaces covering a total area of ​​4,5 hectares . This increase in floodplains and riparian vegetation improves the ecological functionality of the environment and helps the river recover natural processes that had been gradually disappearing.
The work has been conceived as a nature-based solution , that is, an intervention that takes advantage of the wetlands' own ecological processes to offer environmental and social benefits: from mitigating the effects of floods to improving water quality and providing refuge for wildlife.
A refuge for amphibians and other vertebrates
Following the restoration of the wetlands, monitoring over the past year has confirmed that the ponds maintain a good level of flooding , an essential condition for amphibians and other groups to complete their life cycle. The presence of tadpoles and egg masses has become a clear indicator of the intervention's success, as shown in a study on amphibians and fungi.
Observations have revealed several amphibian species associated with these wetlands , including the midwife toad, the natterjack toad, and the common toad, as well as the southern tree frog, the green frog, and the painted frog. This combination of species indicates that the new bodies of water offer varied conditions in terms of depth, vegetation, and water permanence.
The improved habitat has also been reflected in the arrival and establishment of waterfowl and shorebirds . Species such as the mallard, grey heron, little egret, and kingfisher have been recorded in the ponds and adjacent areas, birds that find suitable areas here for feeding, resting, and even nesting.
The installation of camera traps has revealed the presence of mammals such as wild boar, roe deer, and fox , which use these wetlands as water sources and as passageways between different areas of forest and scrubland. Wetland restoration not only benefits strictly aquatic fauna but also all terrestrial wildlife in the surrounding area.
Meanwhile, the new ponds have been rapidly colonized by aquatic invertebrates , notably dragonflies and water beetles. These organisms play a key role in the food chain, serving as food for amphibians, fish, and birds, as well as contributing to the decomposition of organic matter and the ecological balance of the wetland.
Wetlands as ecological corridors
The temporary ponds created in the Deveses d'en Bru are considered one of the most fragile and threatened types of freshwater habitat , due to agricultural intensification, urbanization and hydrological alteration, and suffer pressures such as pollution and illegal trafficking that affect species such as turtles ( impact of pollution on turtles ).
These restored wetlands act as ecological corridors along the Ter River , allowing amphibians, invertebrates, and other animals to move and find shelter and food at different points along the river and its banks. This connectivity is vital for maintaining healthy populations and reducing the risk of genetic isolation, as demonstrated by otter recovery initiatives.
In the context of climate change in Spain and Europe , restoring floodplains and wetlands is an effective adaptation tool. Wetlands help to mitigate the effects of intense rainfall, retain water in the land, and contribute to reducing the impact of droughts, as they store and release water more gradually.
Furthermore, wetlands contribute to improved water quality by acting as natural filters that retain sediments and some of the nutrients or pollutants arriving from agricultural or urban basins. This necessitates monitoring to prevent the proliferation of green algae . In this way, the health of the river ecosystem is strengthened, and the environmental objectives set by European directives on water are met.
The restoration of wetlands like those of the Ter River aligns with European conservation policies and nature-based solutions strategies, which promote interventions that provide benefits for both biodiversity and human communities.
Renaturalization with native vegetation
Another key aspect of the project has been renaturalization through the introduction of native aquatic vegetation . Planting species typical of riparian and wetland ecosystems not only increases plant diversity but also improves habitat structure and reinforces the purifying role of wetlands.
Among the introduced species , purple loosestrife, soapwort, rush, and yellow iris stand out , all of which are associated with marsh environments and freshwater banks. These plants help stabilize banks, offer shelter to invertebrates and small vertebrates, and provide spawning and development areas for numerous aquatic organisms.
Using native vegetation instead of exotic species is essential to prevent biological invasions and ensure the ecosystem evolves in a balanced way. Furthermore, these plants are better adapted to local climatic and soil conditions, requiring less maintenance in the medium term.
The vegetation cover also acts as a natural purification system , since many of these species capture nutrients and help retain suspended particles, reducing the diffuse pollution load that reaches surface waters.
In a territory where numerous wetlands have been disappearing or transforming, the recovery of plant communities typical of declining wetlands represents an important step to stop the loss of natural heritage linked to aquatic ecosystems.
Collaboration between Consorci del Ter and Nestlé
The project developed in Deveses d'en Bru is part of a collaboration between the Ter Consortium and Nestlé Spain , who have renewed their agreement to promote more sustainable management of the Ter River and its tributaries. This alliance focuses primarily on the conservation of riverine areas and the improvement of their ecological status.
Nestlé's Safety, Health, and Sustainability department in Spain has emphasized the company's commitment to protecting water resources and biodiversity in the areas where it operates. The restoration of wetlands near the Girona factory has been cited as an example of an initiative with a positive environmental impact on the immediate surroundings.
The Consorci del Ter has highlighted the company's involvement in the stewardship of riverine areas of the Ter, a network of enclaves that already includes more than a dozen locations under different forms of protection and management.
The collaboration focuses on concrete actions on the ground , rather than merely outreach campaigns, with the aim of obtaining measurable results in terms of biodiversity, ecological connectivity and improved water quality.
This type of project reinforces the idea that cooperation between administrations, environmental entities and companies can be an effective way to finance and implement ecological restoration interventions in rivers and wetlands, aligned with European objectives for conservation and climate adaptation.
The experience of restoring wetlands in the Ter River, and specifically in the Deveses d'en Bru wetlands, shows how the combination of ecological design, native vegetation, creation of permanent and temporary ponds and monitoring of fauna can transform a riverine space into a biodiversity hub and a key ecological corridor , contributing at the same time to the improvement of water quality and adaptation to climate change in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula.
