Lorraine Williamson
For months, scientists, conservation groups, and European officials have warned that Doñana is running out of time. Now the tension has reached a new flashpoint: WWF has formally challenged the Spanish government’s latest redrawing of the national park’s boundaries, arguing that the proposed “deslinde” ignores the ecological reality of one of Europe’s most fragile wetlands.
Rather than a technical adjustment, the dispute has evolved into a battle over the future of an entire region — its water, its biodiversity, and its long-term economic viability.
A crisis years in the making
Doñana has been edging towards environmental collapse for over a decade. Groundwater extraction, industrial agriculture, and the growth in rural tourism have pushed its marshes and lagoons to breaking point. Seasonal pools that once hosted thousands of migrating birds now dry earlier each year. Conservationists say the ecosystem can no longer absorb errors in policy or planning.
This is the backdrop against which the government has presented its new border demarcation. Rather than reassuring specialists, the plan has triggered a fresh wave of criticism.
Why WWF is challenging the plan
WWF argues that the proposed perimeter relies on political boundaries rather than ecological ones. Their appeal states that key zones — areas vital for water circulation, species movement, and habitat recovery — lie outside the revised protected perimeter. Without incorporating these sections into the official map, they say, Doñana cannot be restored or safeguarded.
The organisation insists that hydrological studies, biodiversity surveys, and long-term scientific modelling must determine where the protection line is drawn. Anything else, they warn, risks repeating the mistakes that brought the wetland to its current state.
WWF España reinforced its position publicly on X, where the organisation said it had formally taken its concerns to the Ecological Transition Minister, Sara Aagesen. In its message, WWF warned that the current demarcation threatens the freshwater marshes at the heart of Doñana, and urged the government to scrap the plan and draft a new one grounded in the extensive body of scientific research already available.
Europe’s scrutiny intensifies
The disagreement is not only domestic. Brussels has repeatedly criticised Spain for failing to protect Doñana, and several EU infringement proceedings remain open. Spain has already been warned about unsustainable water use and the deterioration of protected habitats — both breaches of European nature law.
If the new border fails to align with scientific criteria, WWF argues, Spain could face further legal pressure or even financial penalties.
More than conservation: a regional lifeline
Although the debate is framed around ecology, the implications go far beyond environmental management. Doñana is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Andalucia’s most important natural attractions. Its wetlands support local jobs, shape regional identity, and influence agriculture.
WWF warns that weakening its boundaries will undermine not only conservation goals but also the economic prospects of the communities that depend on a healthy landscape. Sustainable tourism, nature-friendly farming, and long-term water security, they argue, are all at stake.
Doñana under pressure
Doñana´s survival
The government must now consider WWF’s appeal and decide whether to adjust the demarcation or defend the current draft. Environmental groups expect further legal challenges, especially as EU investigations continue.
What remains clear is that the future of Doñana can no longer be managed as an administrative exercise. Its survival will depend on whether Spain embraces a genuinely science-driven model — one capable of restoring wetlands that have shaped Andalucia for generations.
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