A team from the Centre for Advanced Studies (CEAB-CSIC) has conducted a study on societal perceptions of the Ebro Delta’s ecosystems, complementing the ecological research it carries out in the area. The results were presented at the 7th International Marine Conservation Congress, held in South Africa, where the importance of incorporating local populations’ knowledge and involvement in conservation initiatives was emphasized.
The study gathered perceptions from over 360 people through in-person interviews and online surveys regarding the Ebro Delta’s diverse ecosystems. Participants included both residents and non-residents (from other parts of Catalonia, Spain, and abroad). Professionally, the study consulted workers from the primary and services sectors (key in the area), land managers and administrative staff of the Natural Park, political representatives, researchers, and members of environmental organizations. In terms of age, 85% of respondents were between 30 and 70 years old.
Initially, participants were asked to identify the three ecosystems they most associate with the Delta. Then, they were shown photographs of various environments (e.g., dunes, rice fields, seagrasses, pine forests, and wetlands) and asked whether they believed these could be found in the area. They were also questioned about the benefits of these environments, such as coastal protection against disturbances, carbon sequestration, and providing habitat and food for numerous species. Finally, they ranked the ecosystems shown based on how natural they appeared and shared their desired vision for the Delta’s future.
Among the data collected, there was widespread recognition of the environments as characteristic of the Ebro Delta, except in one case: seagrasses, which were less frequently identified as part of the area, despite covering large parts of the seabed in the Alfaques and Fangar bays. This revealed a significant difference between residents and non-residents: most of the participants who recognized seagrass meadows as native to the Delta were locals.
One shared perception was the benefits of vegetation — both emergent (from dunes, wetlands, and marshes) and submerged (seagrass meadows) — for coastal protection against storms and other extreme events. 75% of participants, with a similar representation of residents and non-residents, recognized the ecosystems’ ability to provide this and other societal benefits (known as “ecosystem services”). This result surprised the team, given that previous studies (and some specific interviews conducted for this research) pointed to a degree of public mistrust towards nature-based solutions.
Agreement on the Need to Act; Divergence on how to do so
Another positive finding was that all participants agreed on the importance of protecting the Delta and expressed strong appreciation for the territory. However, while they shared the goal of preservation, they proposed different ways to achieve it. Most non-residents favored measures that strictly limit human activity, whereas most residents advocated for approaches that reconcile human activity with conservation. Those living and working in the Delta feel inherently connected to the landscape and see themselves as shaping it. For example, while non-residents view rice fields as artificial, residents consider them akin to other environments like lagoons, dunes, and seagrasses, valuing them as natural.
Jordi Pagès, CEAB-CSIC researcher and study coordinator, noted that having this information is essential because the differing views between residents and non-residents can influence how the Delta is managed. He emphasized that “any conservation initiative must consider people’s perceptions, especially those of local communities, to be well-designed and ensure their involvement, which is crucial for success. Gaining local knowledge and engagement is indispensable.”
Aina Alemany, another CEAB-CSIC researcher and member of the study team, highlighted that, overall, the results and perceptions expressed by participants align with scientific evidence gathered by various research groups over years of fieldwork. “For instance, most people clearly associate the lack of sediment deposition with the management of the Ebro River. They also understand and value many of the benefits provided by the natural environments unique to this area.“
Another relevant finding noted by the team was the general acknowledgment of the impossibility of returning the Ebro Delta to the way it was in their childhood memories. Jordi Pagès explained, “Deltas are highly dynamic ecosystems, constantly shifting and changing. We must confront how uncomfortable this dynamism makes us; we cannot expect static equilibrium in systems that have never been that way.” He cited a poignant comment from an interviewee: attempting to fix the Delta to a single point or image would require drastic and artificial interventions that, paradoxically, would erase what makes it the Delta.
Finally, the researchers acknowledged that differences in perceptions between local and non-local populations, particularly regarding the view of environments and conservation strategies, complicate the management of this natural area, which is already very complex due to factors like the increasing intensity of extreme weather events and other impacts of global change.
The study’s conclusions were presented at the 7th International Marine Conservation Congress in South Africa in October, where the need for conservation initiatives that incorporate local knowledge and involvement was addressed. They have also been shared with the Ebro Delta Natural Park, with which the research team regularly collaborates.
