Spain Case Study
Balancing Biodiversity Conservation and Urban Coastal Management
The Spain Case Study examined how biodiversity conservation can be strengthened within a highly urbanised and heavily used coastal environment. The metropolitan beaches of Barcelona face multiple pressures, including tourism, climate change, urban infrastructure, and invasive species. The case study addressed these challenges by improving the management and protection of dune ecosystems through collaboration between public institutions, research centres, private organisations and local communities.
Through GUARDEN, these actors jointly enhanced ecological knowledge, strengthened coastal resilience and integrated citizen participation into day-to-day management. The project achieved these objectives through coordinated actions and the deployment of digital, scientific and educational tools.
Concept
The Spain Case Study focused on the coastal municipalities of Castelldefels, Gavà, Viladecans, El Prat de Llobregat, Barcelona, Sant Adrià de Besòs, Badalona and Montgat. These beaches contain dynamic dune ecosystems that are highly sensitive to human pressure and environmental change.
The case study strengthened the management of these areas by improving knowledge of existing flora and fauna, monitoring protected and invasive species, and incorporating data-driven approaches into municipal coastal operations. The project also placed strong emphasis on community engagement, involving volunteers, schools and specialised organisations in biodiversity monitoring and environmental education.
Key Objectives
01
Strengthen biodiversity and ecosystem resilience in Barcelona’s coastal areas. Increase the knowledge about the existing fauna and flora
02
Improve beach and dune management through data-driven strategies
03
Develop a comprehensive coastal management plan with input from diverse stakeholders
04
Foster public engagement and citizen science participation in biodiversity monitoring
05
Promote environmental education through activities like Jugateca Ambiental and Naturaula
Key Stakeholders
Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB)
- Roles: Management of beach and dune programmes, coordination of participatory activities and biodiversity actions.
- Interactions: Led field operations, organised volunteer programmes (e.g., Jugatecambiental), applied data-driven management measures derived from GUARDEN tools.
Environmental Departments of Municipalities
- Roles: Local regulation, monitoring and policy implementation.
- Interactions: Supported sustainable beach management and collaborated in biodiversity assessment and response measures.
Natural zones consortiums (Consortium of the Llobregat Delta, Consortium of the Besòs River)
- Roles: Conservation of coastal and wetland ecosystems in their respective deltas
- Interactions: Cooperated with research institutions and municipalities to align dune conservation with broader ecological management.
Research Institutions (ICM-CSIC)
- Roles: Scientific assessment of biodiversity and methodological guidance.
- Interactions: Validated species records, developed monitoring protocols and co-created GUARDEN tools such as MINKA and the Dashboard.
Environmental-Education Organisations (Anèl·lides, Fundesplai, etc.)
- Roles: Environmental-Education Organisations (Anèl·lides, Fundesplai, etc.)
- Interactions: Conducted outreach activities and integrated GUARDEN-based content into school sessions and public events.
GUARDEN Project Team
- Roles:Provision of technological tools and coordination.
- Interactions: Ensured integration of GUARDEN platforms into AMB coastal operations, provided training and harmonised monitoring approaches.
Institut Metròpoli
- Roles: Communication and dissemination of BioPlatgesMet project.
- Interactions: Shared updates through digital channels and coordinated media outreach. Also kept the engagement with the volunteers.
Volunteers
- Roles: Data collection and participation in monitoring.
- Interactions: Uploaded species observations through MINKA, collaborated with educators and technicians and strengthened community stewardship. Also participated in educational activities.
GUARDEN Tools Utilised
The Spain Case Study relied on a combination of digital, scientific and educational tools that supported continuous biodiversity monitoring, data-driven coastal management and improved environmental awareness across the metropolitan beaches of Barcelona.
MINKA (Citizen Science Biodiversity Platform)
Served as the core system for gathering geolocated observations of flora and fauna. Technicians, volunteers and local citizens recorded wildlife and vegetation findings during regular activities, which were later validated by scientific experts. Through MINKA, the case study collected more than 6,000 observations representing nearly 700 species, including 47 protected and 25 invasive species.
Offered real-time visualisation of species records, spatial patterns, temporal trends and biodiversity hotspots. The dashboard supported management decisions by identifying priority zones for conservation, such as areas requiring invasive-species removal, dune-protection measures or specific monitoring protocols.
Provided instant feedback for uploaded observations, helping users understand species characteristics and answer questions about the coastal biodiversity. This improved both engagement and the overall the analysis of the data collected.
Assisted participants in identifying plant species during field surveys and school activities, increasing accuracy in vegetation monitoring and supporting environmental education.
CirculAR Augmented-Reality App
Tested as an environmental-education tool specifically designed for school groups. The app displayed educational content through augmented-reality images of coastal flora and fauna, allowing students to visualise and explore species in an interactive way. Short quizzes were incorporated to make the learning process more engaging and to reinforce key ecological concepts.
InTegrated GUARDEN System – Decision Support Application
The Integrated GUARDEN System / Decision Support Application was used to bring together and organise the biodiversity information generated in the Spanish case study. It integrated observations collected through MINKA and Pl@ntNet and made them accessible in a structured way for internal use by the metropolitan authority and local management teams. The DSA supported the operational workflows of the BioPlatgesMet programme by allowing users to visualise and explore coastal biodiversity observations, follow the outcomes of citizen science actions and use the collected data as input for planning, reporting and communication activities.
Together, these tools enabled a shift from occasional expert-based surveys to a continuous, collaborative and technology-enhanced monitoring system integrating citizens, technicians, researchers and students.
Benefits from the GUARDEN Project
The Spain Case Study delivered substantial scientific, management and educational benefits for the Barcelona Metropolitan Area:
Improved biodiversity knowledge: With over 6,000 validated observations, the project generated the most complete citizen-driven dataset on coastal biodiversity in the AMB. The detection of 47 protected species and 25 invasive species provided valuable insights into conservation priorities and ecological pressures.
Enhanced coastal management: Data from MINKA and the Dashboard directly informed operational decisions. The AMB implemented measures such as restricting access in areas where protected species were detected, improving mechanical-cleaning protocols, removing invasive vegetation from dune ecosystems and monitoring the recovery of native dune habitats.
Strengthened environmental education: The case study enriched AMB educational programmes involving nearly 13,000 participants. The integration of tools such as PlantNet, the AI ChatBot and the CirculAR app helped school groups understand coastal ecosystems in a more dynamic and interactive way.
Greater community engagement: Citizen participation increased environmental awareness and helped foster a collective recognition of metropolitan beaches as natural ecosystems that require protection, not only as recreational spaces.
Institutional capacity building: Collaboration between AMB, ICM–CSIC, municipalities and educational entities strengthened technical capabilities for biodiversity monitoring, data validation and decision-making processes.
Through GUARDEN, the Spain Case Study demonstrated how the combination of technology, science and active community involvement can enhance coastal biodiversity conservation and improve the resilience and management of urban beaches.