THE DUNES

It is an interesting dune environment which, due to the variety of native wild flora it contains, is populated by a great diversity of small wild fauna. It covers about 45.000m2 and its dune crest can reach a height of about 2-4m. It is about 1.000m long parallel to the beach and has a depth towards the Urbanisations of about 30-50m.
This dune area stretches from the Realejo stream to the Los Monteros housing estate. It is the first dune area that the Asociación Pro Dunas saved from destruction more than 10 years ago.

Several reforestations with autochthonous shrubs have been necessary for a correct recovery and rehabilitation, including Phoenician juniper (Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata), Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), Wild olive trees (Olea europaea), Stone pines (Pinus pinea), Cork oaks (Quercus suber), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and palm hearts (Chamaerops humilis).

Thanks to the intensive care during the first three years by ProDunas Marbella volunteers, the small plants have evolved perfectly, creating a bio-habitat typical of a sandy environment, which has attracted small fauna and fringillid birds.

Every year a strict control is kept on the possible resprouting of invasive exotic species. Pupils from the ECOS-Attendis School have sponsored this dune area and carry out annual maintenance days.

This small dune formation covers approx. 8,000m2 and is about 200m long and runs parallel to the beach. It is located between the Siete Revueltas and Alicate streams and more specifically between the Oyana and Los Sardinales beach bars. It is about 30 – 40m wide, between the beach and the Transit Easement. Since 2013 we have been carrying out conservation work with very good results. This dune environment is practically rehabilitated and is starting to become autochthonous.

Due to the large proliferation of an existing reed bed, the ProDunas Association plans to eradicate Giant cane (Arundo donax) during the winter of 2015-2016, as well as other invasive plants such as: American century plant (Agave americana), Willow acacia (Acacia saligna), Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus).

Concatenated stakes help preserve the dune system, preventing transgression by beach-going residents.

It is one of the most beautiful and authentic dunes on this stretch of the Marbella coastline. It covers about 36.000m2 and its crest currently reaches a height of about 5 – 8m. It has a length of approx. 200m, parallel to the beach. It has a depth with a pronounced orography of valleys and dune crests of approx. 200m in a north-south direction. This dune is exceptional due to its perpendicular shape to the coast, nestled between the Las Chapas and Playas Andaluzas developments. It consists of an ecosystem (geosigmetum) belonging to the ancient band of dunes that used to occupy the area between Marbella and Cabopino.
In this dune there are several ecosystems depending on the proximity or distance to the sea and it is of great interest for its varied development of the autochthonous flora and groups of small fauna. There is an abundance of Phoenician juniper (Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata), mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), Wild olive tree (Olea europaea), European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), 2 specimens of Stone pine (Pinus pinea).

In 2009, this dune area has awakened an extraordinary interest, because the Pro Dunes Association had promoted a citizen mobilization, fighting for the survival of almost half of the unique and authentic dune environment, which was about to be destroyed by a future urbanization. Eminent professors were also in favour of the preservation of this dune, because of the palaeobiogeographical information it contains.

Periodic maintenance with eradication of invasive plants such as: Highway Iceplant  (Carpobrotus edulis), Willow acacia (Acacia saligna) and Giant cane (Arundo donax) are promoted by ProDunas Marbella, to guarantee the wild development of the vegetation. The pupils of the Alborán School have sponsored this magnificent environment and collaborate annually with maintenance work.

Elevated pedestrian walkways on both sides of the dune will allow access to the beach in the near future, respecting the existing vegetation and wildlife habitat.

This is an outstanding dune area covering approx. 9,000m2. It has two independent crests with a height of between 4 – 5m high. It is approx. 200m long, parallel to the beach and is about 30 – 50m deep, depending on which section we are talking about. This dune environment is to the west of the “Bono’s Beach” restaurant and between the “El Arenal” beach restaurant and the access path to the beach from the Playa Andaluzas development.

Both sections are recovering. The school children of the Secondary IES Salduba School in San Pedro Alcantara have sponsored this beautiful dune and they keep it free of the invasive alien species Highway Iceplant  (Carpobrotus edulis). In 2015 they reforested the first stretch with native shrubs such as: Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis), Juniper (Juniperus phoenicea subsp turbinata.), Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), Broom (Retama sphaerocarpa), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and Thyme (Thymus). Volunteers from the Pro Dunas Association are looking after the tiny plants, watering them manually once a week to ensure they root properly.

In the second section we eradicated American century plant (Agave americana), some Willow acacia (Acacia saligna) and some stands of Crimson fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) to let the local flora develop naturally.

Wooden stakes interconnected by sisal rope have been erected around the dune area to increase its protection. Thanks to this initiative, the native dune plant par excellence – the European marran grass (Ammophila arenaria) is developing beautifully, anchoring the crest of the dune.

This area is located between the Sequillo and Real de Zaragoza streams. Due to the enormous extension of this area, we have divided it into 4 sections:

Section 1: from the Sequillo stream – Chiringuito Siroko Beach (former Ola del embarcadero) to the pumping station next to Chiringuito Sylt.

Section 2: between Chiringuitos Sylt and Ranchón Cubano.

Section 3: between the Chiringuitos Ranchón Cubano and Las Mimosas.

Section 4: between Chiringuitos Las Mimosas and Casanis > Real de Zaragoza stream.

This environment presents a great anthropised degradation in sections 1 – 3, caused by irresponsible motorised transgression over the years and the introduction of invasive plants. Even so, there is a unique dune ridge of about 70.000m2 with ridges that can reach a height of about 2 – 4m. The whole area between the two streams has a length of about 1.500m, parallel to the beach and a depth with the street (Transit Easement) of about 50 – 70m., interrupted by beach bars that are located in the middle of the dune ridge as well as private properties in section 4.

This dune area is sponsored by the students of IES Dunas de las Chapas and IES Profesor del Saz, who collaborate annually in dune conservation. Other dune conservation days are organised by the Asociación Pro Dunas in order to control the proliferation of the powerful invasive plants.

In the year 2024 the Marbella Town Hall has installed an elevated pedestrian walkway across the entire Public Maritime Terrestrial Domain (D.P.M.T), between the beach bars Las Mimosas and Siroko. The aim is to ensure that this interesting dune ecosystem can continue to develop with the help of regular dune conservation and maintenance work carried out by the volunteers and the educational centres that have sponsored this dune area.

This dune area belongs to the dune cordon of yesteryear. The urban development abuse has left a 250m long dune with a ridge and small valleys of about 3m high and about 50m deep between the beach and the Urbanisations. Originally it joined the stream La Víbora to continue towards Marbella. Nowadays its evolution is cut off by the Chiringuito Beach House and the access to the beach from the car park La Víbora.

This dune area receives annual rehabilitation works with eradication days of the invasive exotic species Highway Iceplant  (Carpobrotus edulis) that ProDunas Marbella programmes with groups of volunteers and/or with pupils from a school. On the plain behind the dune ridge, maintenance work is carried out annually to remove resprouts of the invasive species Willow acacia (Acacia saligna) and Giant cane (Arundo donax).

Thanks to the initiative of ProDunas Marbella, wooden stakes with plant rope have been placed on the dune perimeter, between the beach and the dune.

A beautiful dune with an intact dune ridge with a height of approx. 6m, which acts as a parapet against the advancing sea and against winter storms or currents. It has an area of about 22,500m2. It has a length of about 450m and a depth towards the different Urbanisations of about 50m. This environment is squeezed between two Chiringuitos El Laurel and Perla Blanca. The dune perimeter has been protected by means of stakes linked with plant rope.

In 2012 recovery and rehabilitation work began, due to the large proliferation of invasive exotic plants. Subsequently, reforestation was carried out at different times. Schoolchildren from secondary schools in Marbella and Mijas were initiated in environmental education, planting small native shrubs such as: Phoenician juniper (Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata), Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), Olive-leaved buckthorn (Rhamnus oleoides), Wild olive (Olea europaea), Cork oak (Quercus suber), Kermes oak (Quercues coccífera), European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis).

The schoolchildren of the Platero School (primary school) in Las Chapas have sponsored this environment and participate annually in an environmental day. Volunteers from the ProDunas Marbella Association continue to look after an interesting existing biodiversity.

This dune area is located between the Chiringuitos El Laurel and Tony’s and is still in the process of conditioning and rehabilitation. The area is part of the old dune belt, although the whole surface is currently very degraded, due to the enormous urban development pressure it suffered in the past. It is about 250m long with a height from the beach of about 3-4m.

In 2014 a first clearing of the Willow acacia (Acacia saligna) and the Giant cane (Arundo donax) was carried out to allow the development of the wild-native flora. A wooden pedestrian footbridge is planned to be installed in the traffic easement. Subsequently, an appropriate restoration and reforestation with autochthonous bushes will be carried out, programmed by Pro Dunas.

Due to the repeated storms, the initiative of ProDunas Marbella to place wooden stakes with a string of vegetation along the entire dune perimeter, between the beach and the dune, has been rendered useless.

Along the dune in the Transit Easement, the Marbella Town Hall has installed a wooden footbridge.

The German School of Las Chapas-Elviria has sponsored this environment and collaborates in environmental conferences.

ProDunas Marbella is promoting a Bird Watching Point to observe the migratory birds as well as the cetaceans (Dolphins) that pass by every day with their families.

The Artola Dunes were declared a Natural Monument in 2003 because of their significant natural value with an intact ecosystem and varied biodiversity. This dune environment is 20,000 m² and even today testifies to how the natural coastline of Marbella looked not many years ago.

This privileged region has three types of dunes. At the beachfront the dunes are mobile and because of their rippled surfaces can easily be spotted. The second line forms a natural barrier with inactive but mobile dunes, covered with shrub vegetation and by indigenous flora of great interest. Farthest from the sea are inactive, fossil dunes, with a narrow band of dense Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) as well as common shrubs such as Juniper (Juniperus sabina supsc. turbinata), Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) and wild Olive tree (Olea europaea), typical species in the Mediterranean area which provide shelter and food for birds and small animals as well as for the typical Mediterranean scrub.

The interesting dune vegetation includes specific dune species such as European Beachgrass (Ammophilia arenaria) and Sea Holly (Eryngium maritimum). There are clumps of Bitter Chamomile (Helichrysum stoechas) and a myriad of wild flora which varies from season to season. The Sea Daffodil (Pancratium maritimum) blooms in all its glory between the most dry months: July and September.

Pedestrian walkways guarantee the total protection of the area, protecting it from constant trampling by members of the public thus allowing the natural development of the native flora. The tower known as La Torre Ladrones at the edge of Cabopino Harbour is 16 m high and was formally used as a military watchtower. Its origin seems to date back to Roman times and it was rebuilt over the centuries by both Arabs and Christians. This beacon has been declared of Cultural Interest and is kept in good condition.

Pro Dunas will continue to maintain the dunes with the help of school groups. Schools from other Provinces are welcome.