Urban Ecosystem Restoration Measures
The Congost River is a Mediterranean river that crosses the city of Granollers. The demographic and industrial growth of the 1960s and 1970s caused a significant degradation of the river habitat, which did not begin to recover until the entry into operation of the wastewater treatment plants in the 1990s. In the last 20 years, social and environmental recovery projects have been developed for the Congost river as it passes through Granollers, highlighting the rehabilitation and renaturalization projects of the riverbed that have allowed the recovery of the fauna and flora populations, which are very important for a river located in such an urban environment.
The elimination of obsolete hydraulic structures, the removal of exotic and invasive vegetation, the promotion of riverbank vegetation without hydraulic risks and the management of uses in the riverbed and riverbanks since 2006 have been carried out. These actions have allowed the recovery of favorable conditions for river ecosystems that have recovered their landscape value, a rich biodiversity and a point of interest for social activities respectful of the river.
The restored riverbed is a space reserved for biodiversity and its social use is not promoted. On the other hand, the riverbanks have naturalized river parks with paths that have become a real social corridor linking the urban center with its agroforestry environment.
The recovery of the river's healthiness has allowed the reestablishment of a quality natural environment close to the city. Now the citizens of Granollers benefit from a green infrastructure that provides benefits such as leisure (paths for trekking, cycling, athletics...), nature of proximity (river landscape, animal sighting, monumental trees...) and a place of exchange (environmental education activities, events of entities...).
