Speakers
- Max Rota Gutiérrez — Natural Art Reef (NAR)
- Irene Gonzalo Cruz — Natural Art Reef
Abstract
With the aim of establishing a strategic point for ecological restoration in the Mediterranean, El Biotop was created, now recognized as the world’s largest artificial calcareous reef. This project represents a new form of blue infrastructure, carrying significant potential in the global efforts for marine conservation, restoration, and resilience. The Biotop reef stands as an unprecedented HCAR model. Its distinctive structure, formed from 37,000 tones of calcium carbonate rocks (CaCO3) extracted from nearby Miocene-era marine fossil deposits stands as an innovative model on strategic planning for coastal management. Functionally and structurally, it sets itself apart from previous Ars models. Over the course of one-year, extensive monitoring has analyzed the colonization processes, species attraction and productivity, and its potential as a Marine Reserve and usage as a critical habitat for commercial and vulnerable species. Remarkably, in just one year, over 250 species have been recorded on the reef, including 11 threatened species, 9 protected species, 55 commercially relevant species, and over 50 bioindicators. Among the most notable achievements is the natural growth of gorgonian corals within just 15 months, highlighting the potential for passive restoration strategies to play a larger role in future conservation efforts. This project has spurred numerous collaborative research lines with universities and research centers, focusing on topics such as active restoration and gorgonian demography, ocean sensing, fishery monitoring, and species recovery potential.
Natural Art Reef (NAR) is a non-profit association whose aims include the construction and implementation of organic and ecological artificial reef structures for the promotion of tourism, research, conservation and dissemination activities. The association offers environmental, cultural and maritime action solutions in which it develops studies, monitoring and scientific evaluations, as well as dissemination and social awareness projects.
NAR has extensive experience in the Mediterranean being a pioneer in the implementation of calcium carbonate structures and in the construction of El Biotop, the first large rocky reef in the world.
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