CARTAGENA (MURCIA), 31 (EUROPA PRESS)
Cartagena already has the first completed section of the Roman Forest, the green corridor that will connect San José Obrero and Canteras by restoring degraded areas, archaeological sites, and native plantations, as reported by municipal sources in a statement.
The mayor, Noelia Arroyo, visited the new 700-meter pedestrian path on Monday, built between Viña del Mar and Avenida del Descubrimiento, also announcing the award of the phase that will take place at Finca Medina.
In addition to the infrastructure, the project includes the removal of invasive plant species, the planting of Mediterranean species, environmental awareness programs, and training workshops, many of which are already underway. «This project continues the work that the residents themselves were already doing in the area, especially in La Vaguada and Avenida del Descubrimiento, where reforestation efforts began years ago,» Arroyo recalled.
The Roman Forest project is funded by the Biodiversity Foundation, under the Ministry for Ecological Transition, through the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan (PRTR) with European funds from NextGenerationEU. It is promoted by the Cartagena City Council in collaboration with ANSE, ARBA, and CETENMA, which coordinate environmental activities and community involvement.
This first intervention surrounds the La Vaguada neighborhood and marks the physical start of the large ecological corridor that will extend towards Las Lomas de Canteras, transforming 30 hectares of land through environmental and archaeological actions.
«The trail is accessible, signposted, and designed for all residents, with gentle slopes, guides for visually impaired individuals, and rest areas,» the mayor noted.
During the visit, the mayor, accompanied by the councilor delegated to European Projects, Cristina Mora, presidents of the Neighborhood Councils in the western area, and representatives of various neighborhood associations, confirmed that the next phase of the project has been awarded to the company JUMABEDA, for an amount of 830,464 euros (1,004,862 including VAT).
This intervention will take place at Finca Medina, a plot of over 120,000 square meters where Roman quarry remains are preserved. The project envisions landscape recovery, the opening of new accessible trails, resting areas, and reforestation with native vegetation.
In this regard, ANSE president Pedro García stated, «This is the largest urban land reclassification action that has taken place in the region for a long time, affecting almost fourteen hectares of the Finca Medina project.»
Additionally, he highlighted the richness of the flora found throughout this natural corridor, «which includes over 30,000 specimens of fifty native species ranging from the famous Cartagena cypress, to holm oaks, strawberry trees, and shrubs like lavender, rosemary, or esparto, which were essential in Roman times.»
Local residents expressed gratitude and a desire for the ongoing actions to be maintained, with Félix Izquierdo, president of the La Vaguada Neighborhood Association, stating, «This project is fantastic for the area and must be one of the city’s green lungs, so we hope there will always be an extension of the project.» The visit also included the vice president of the Los Popos Neighborhood Association, Andrés Bernabé.
The project has a dual environmental and archaeological focus. On one hand, it aims to mitigate the effects of climate change in the western area of Cartagena through ecological restoration and create a green corridor that serves as a refuge for local biodiversity. On the other hand, the Roman Forest will protect the existing archaeological heritage, particularly the Roman quarry remains in the Canteras area.
The intervention will transform these former abandoned lands—used even as a dump site—into a reclaimed natural space, integrating historical remnants into a visitable and educational environment. Planned actions also include the installation of sustainable irrigation systems, powered by solar energy and rainwater collection, to maintain the trees without the need for connection to the electrical grid.
