 |
 |
|
|
Poble Nou del Delta......................................... |
|
|
Poble Nou - the youngest of the towns of the Ebre Delta - is located 12 Km from Sant Carles de la Rapita, between the lagoons of l'Encanyissada and la Tancada, and is a must-see for anyone visiting the Ebre Delta.
This small town is governed by Amposta and to understand its history we must go back to the time of colonization of the delta. Back in those days, the fields of the Ebre Delta were swamp land: muddy and wet - the perfect place for bacteria to thrive - and to danger the lives of the relatively small amount of habitants.
When the swamp land was destined to become rice fields, there weren't many people attracted by the idea of starting a new life in such exacting conditions. Therefore, the state made an incentive program to see if that would bring more people to the area.
The colonizers who came to live and work here, transformed the swampy Ebre Delta into workable rice fields. In exchange, the state gave them housing and land. This is why, in 1955, the National Institute for Colonization created the town of Villafranco del Delta - today known as Poble Nou del Delta. The original name - Villafranco del Delta - was given in honor of the then Dictator of Spain, Francisco Franco. |
 |
|
Beaches and Dunes.......................................... |
|
|
The sediments of the Ebre River are transported downstream - and when they reach the Mediterranean Sea they loose force. The tides then deposit these sediments along the coast, forming the beaches of the Ebre Delta. The beaches of the delta are spacious and sandy - and this is where the most extensive dunes of Catalonia lie. The dunes have become internationally recognized due to thier exceptional state and conservation, as they form part of the Ebre Delta Nature Park. The dunes depend on thier proximity to the sea and the winds, who transport the sediments of the beaches, forming small hills of sand. This effect makes it nearly impossible for vegetation to take root, due to the mobility of the dunes.
However, the dunes are somewhat stable and there is some vegetation - predominately psamophilas, that have apapted to the harsh living conditions: the movement of the dunes, extreme drainage, and high level of solar reflection. These plants tend to grow on the highest of the dunes. There is a lot of vegetation that forms behind the dunes, of which, in spring and summer have beautiful flowers.
The fauna of the dunes is varied, with the prescence of some reptiles like the red-tailed lizard and the long-tailed lizard. Large groups of birds thrive on the beaches and dunes, who use these open spaces for thier nests and to find food. |
 |
|
The Sea and the Bay........................................ |
|
|
The coast of the Ebre Delta is formed by 2 different marine environments: on one side the Mediterranean Sea - which is the principal dynamic influence on the delta, and on the other side there are 2 sand peninsulas which close off the open sea, making 2 bays: the Bay of Fangar and the Bay of Alfacs. The waters of the coast are rich in nutrients and nourish a large concentration of seaweed and plankton that in turn nourishes the chain of sea life, formed by a large variety of zoological groups. In the bays there are mussels, clams, sea snails, oysters, and sea eggs - all of which are highly appreciated by fisherman. In this part of the open Mediterranean Sea, there is a large density of species, of which the most commercialized are sole, sardines, anchovies, sea bream, and many more. There are other animals that live in these waters as well, including dolphins. There are many sea turtles however, the Careta turtle is the most frequent, although this species is in a delicate situation throughout Mediterranean.
The waters of the bays are calmer and less filtered. The depth varies around 8 meters and the bottom is covered extensively with seaweed, which converts this super-fertile ecosystem into an area of high bio-diversity. These favorable conditions are exploited by many marine species, as well as by man, who has learned to cultivate the riches of the bays with platforms for the cultivation of mussels and oysters.
|
|
The Lagoons .................................................... |
|
|
The lagoons of the Ebre Delta are coastal ponds connected directly with the sea and surrounded by rice fields, circumstances which give them an unique place between the environments of the sea and surrounding land.
These lagoons are naturally salty, however, during the cultivation of rice (from March to October), large proportions of freshwater change the salinity of the lagoons. The change in salinity as well as the change in depth (from 40 to 100 cm) makes the vegetation of these ecosystems very diverse.
The lagoons attract large numbers of birds during the whole year. In winter, there are large concentrations of ducks, sea birds, flamingos, herons and many more. In spring and summer, there are colonies of ardeids and fumarells.
The lagoon environment is one the most varied for the ichthyologic life of the area, due to the physio-chemical changes of the waters of the lagoons. Species like eel, sea bream, sea bass, carp, and sole inhabit the waters of the lagoons and are captured by fisherman of the local union of Sant Pere - who are the only authorized entity to fish the waters of the lagoons during the months of October to March. |
 |
|
The Rice fields................................................. |
|
|
With over 21,000 hectares of rice cultivation, the rice fields are the environment that dominate the Ebre Delta and represent an ecosystem of great importance, due to the necessity of being permanetly inundated during the entire rice season. The prescence of freshwater makes the rice fields highly inhabitable for thousands of organisims (algae, crustaceans, insects...) who give their lives to the abundant birdlife of the Ebre Delta.
The rice cycle starts in November, after the rice harvest, no more freshwater is allowed into the rice fields and the drying of the rice fields begins. In the winter, thousands of ducks, sea gulls, limicoles, fotges, and ardeids arrive to feed themselves. In April, the rice fields are inundated with freshwater once again, making the Ebre Delta seem like an immense mirror, where the migratory birds, fish, and amphibians come back. In June, the rice is growing and a green blanket covers the Ebre Delta. In August, the rice turns golden and young birds and thier parents take refuge from the heat. In September, the harvest begins - and as the summer birds leave, the the winter birds arrive.
The cultivation of rice is able to help control and reduce the index of salinity in the dirt, as well as conserve the ecosystem and preserve the equilibrium of the birdlife of the Ebre Delta.. |
|
|
|
|
The "Delta del Ebro" Natural Park.............. |
|
|
The geography of the Ebre Delta has a strong personality. The completely flat land gives the area a distinct aspect, while the rice fields change throughout the year (brown in winter, inundated in spring, green in early summer and gold in late summer). Along the coast, you will find some of the most attractive geography of the region: large lagoons surrounded by reeds and lush vegetation. Along the peripheries we find large extensions of salty earth with long beaches and dunes crowned with vegetation.
The birds of the Ebre Delta have special importance - both in their numbers and diversity. The Ebre Delta gives shelter to many important birds, including breeding marine birds of importance in the Mediterranean. In the Ebre Delta, there are over 350 recorded species of birds - of the 600 species that exist in all of Europe. |
 |
|
Natural Environments.................................... |
|
|
The Ebre Delta is an extrodinarily flat area that presents many different physio-chemical characteristics that change and result in a confluence of environments from one extreme to the other - from the marine to the continental. The Ebre Delta in its relatively reduced space reunites a large diversity of environments that makes it a zone of international interest: river, sea, bays, beaches, dunes, salt pans, woods, lagoons, and natural springs. These environments form the countryside that is the Ebre Delta and encompass a large diversity of organisims adapted to the different environments of the Ebre Delta.
There is one environment that has had a huge impact on the Ebre Delta - that of the agriculture of the Ebre Delta: rice fields and other agriculture (fruit trees and vegetables). These have transformed almost all of the plains of the Ebre Delta and has added new ecosystems of great importance for the bio-diversity of the Ebre Delta.. |
 |
|
The River......................................................... |
|
|
The Ebre River is the main artery of the delta - all life in the delta revolves around the river. In the last 30 kilometers of its trajectory, the Ebre River runs through the delta plains to finally meet the Mediterranean Sea and produce a mix of waters: fresh and salt. This phenomenon causes the last 30 kilometers of the Ebre River to be of varing degrees of salinity, which in turn, causes a difference in bio-diversity - species must be able to adapt to the brackish water. This phenomenon of the mixture of fresh and salt water happens in other parts of the Ebre Delta, specifically the lagoons.
The river ecosystem is comprised of 2 primary environments which are quite varied: the forests of the river beds and the aquatic environment of the river itself.
The distribution of the forests of the river beds is defined by the salinity of the water at a particular point. There is a difference in plant species between upstream and downstream, due to the change of salinity of the water. The river beds have been largely transformed from thier original forests, for cultivation of agriculture. The areas where we find completely virgen and unchanged forests are the islands of the river: Gracia, Buda and Sapinya.
The aquatic ecosystem is a very rich environment that conserves dense populations of phitoplankton, invertebrates and bialves, like the Margaritifera Auricularia - the only population left of its kind in the world. There are also many types of native fish as well as fish introduced by man. The river environment, as well as the series of canals that provide irrigation for the delta, is a favorable environment for amphibians, snakes, and water turtles - who find food and refuge here. |
 |
|
Salt Pans and the Salt Works
........................ |
|
|
Situated behind the dunes and bordering the beach, the salt pans are an environment that are under direct influence of the sea. The muddy grounds are frequently flooded with salt water, and therefore have a high degree of salinity. There are many plants that have adapted to this environment, some of which accumulate salt within the plant structure and others, which actively excrete the salt. Both types are found in plant groups that are under threat in Europe, which makes the Ebre Delta very important for the preservation of these plants.
The salt pans also happen to be an environment where bird breeding takes place, as well as a source of food for many birds, including many marine birds.
In the areas that are closest to the sea, the ground can be flooded during several months. With evaporation, the concentration of salinity in the ground rises and forms crystals, making salt. Today, the only commercial salt works in the Ebre Delta is that of "Trinidad", situated on the peninsula of "La Banya". With an annual production of 50.000 metric tons, the Trinidad salt works are a habitat for several micro-organisms, many of which are the direct food for the famous "Delta Flamencos" and other birds. |
 |
|
Natural Springs.............................................. |
|
|
| The natural springs are fresh water ponds from accumulated rain water that drains off the surrounding mountains that border the Ebre Delta (the mountains of Montsia and Ports). These ponds can vary in depth from 2,5 m to 6 m and can vary in diameter from 5 m to 55 m. Compared to the flora and fauna of the rest of the delta, the flora and fauna of the natural springs are quite different. The species that have adapted to this micro-climate need the constant temperatures (17-18 C) that the springs maintain year round. The rich soils of the natural springs are being cultivated for agricultural use, which is making the conservation of the springs difficult. |
 |
|
Non-rice Agriculture...................................... |
|
|
Rice is the biggest food crop in cultivation in the delta, however, there are many other edible crops grown as well. This modality of agriculture is found almost everywhere in the Ebre Delta, dispersed between rice fields. Many of the plants cultivated are american: like the potato, corn and tomato; or asian: like citrus or melons. One of most cultivated plants is the olive tree. The invertebrate fauna associated with these areas are ones that live off the crops grown, like snails and beetles. Birds are the group of vertebrates most diversified within these areas.
These humanized extensions have become just another type environment, representative of the Ebre Delta. |
|
