Cartagena recovers over a thousand tons of sand to restore beaches

Winter beach restoration work completed along key coastal areas

The Cartagena City Council has completed its winter beach restoration programme, recovering over 1,000 tons of sand from the sea to regenerate the beaches of Los Nietos and La Gola. The project, which was supervised by a biologist, also included the removal of reeds in Los Nietos, Mar de Cristal, Villas Caravaning, and Cavanna.

Municipal workers carried out extensive maintenance across several coastal areas, focusing on replenishing sand, clearing vegetation, and removing reeds. According to Councillor for the Coastal Area, Gonzalo López, these efforts aim to protect the local environment while maintaining beach quality for residents and visitors.

Sand bundling, a technique used to recover sand displaced by storms and heavy rain, played a key role in the restoration process. This method helps maintain beach profiles and prevents dry land from forming, which can contribute to the accumulation of mud due to biomass decomposition.

A total of 600 cubic metres of sand—equivalent to over 1,000 tonnes—was recovered from the beaches of La Gola, Playa Chica (Golamar Urbanisation), and Los Nietos. Specifically, 200 cubic metres were extracted from each of these sites. The recovered sand was first collected from the shoreline, aerated in a dry area to improve its condition, and then redistributed to strengthen the beach structure. The process was carried out under the supervision of environmental specialists to minimise any potential impact on marine life, particularly the Cymodocea nodosa seagrass beds.

In addition to sand recovery, the council removed reeds (Phragmites australis), an invasive species encouraged by freshwater upwellings. This work took place in Los Nietos, Mar de Cristal, Villas Caravaning, and Cavanna, using both manual and mechanical methods depending on the terrain. To protect local wildlife, especially nesting birds, the removal was completed by March 15 in line with environmental guidelines set by the Office for Socioeconomic Promotion of the Environment (OISMA).

Further environmental work was carried out in Playa Paraíso, where naturalised areas underwent vegetation clearing, invasive plant removal, and controlled pruning. These tasks were performed by the Coastal Department and the Parks and Gardens team, with oversight from municipal technicians and environmental agents from CECOFOR.

Last year, a similar initiative saw 1,100 cubic metres of sand recovered along 3.5 kilometres of coastline, with 350 cubic metres restored in Los Nietos and 780 cubic metres in Los Urrutias. This ongoing effort highlights the commitment of Cartagena’s authorities to preserving the region’s coastal areas and ensuring they remain in the best possible condition.

Images: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena