Problems and restoration strategies of urban mediterranean rivers in Spain. Guadalmedina river as a potential ecological corridor in the green-blue infrastructure of Malaga, Spain.

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6093/1970-9870/11115

Keywords:

Urban river Restoration; Green-Blue Infrastructure; Biodiversity

Abstract

Urban rivers in good hydrological and ecological condition are essential for the ecological connectivity of the territory, connecting fragmented habitats. Additionally, they provide benefits such as flood mitigation, CO2 storage, microclimate regulation, and air quality improvement. They act as natural filters and offer recreational and educational spaces. However, urban development has negatively affected rivers, disrupting their natural dynamics and ecological connectivity due to intense urbanization and infrastructure. The restoration of rivers using ecosystem-based strategies and nature-based solutions is proposed as one solution to address the challenges of climate change. After a literature review and analysis of Mediterranean urban river restoration projects, problems and strategies for their restoration are identified and systematized. The restoration proposal for the Guadalmedina River in Malaga, Spain, is analyzed as a case study. This proposal is relevant for its ecocentric, systemic, and integrated approach from the basin to the urban section, promoting its functionality as an ecological corridor that integrates into the city's green and blue infrastructure and involves the public in the design, execution, and management process of the restoration.

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Author Biographies

Ruben Mora-Esteban, School of Architecture/Department of Art and Architecture, Universidad de Málaga

Post-doctoral researcher and lecturer in the Department of Art and Architecture at the University of Malaga. He has extensive experience in research and teaching. He has published articles in indexed journals and book chapters, presented papers at conferences and participated in national and international workshops. He has participated in 10 R&D projects, being principal investigator in one. He has been editor of two books and published collective books. He has worked for the public administration and is a founding partner of the Cluster Mediterráneo SBN and the Rizoma Foundation.

Francisco Conejo- Arrabal, School of Architecture/Department of Art and Architecture Universidad de Málaga

PhD candidate in Architecture at University of Malaga through a grant funded by the Spanish Ministry of Universities. As a researcher, he is a member of the research group in HUM-969, and the University Institute for Habitat, Territory and Digitalisation, both in the University of Malaga. His research interests focuses on the following topics: touristification, historic urban landscape and urban planning.

José María Romero-Martínez, School of Architecture/Department of Architectural and Engineering Graphic Expression Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain

PhD from the University of Granada and an architect from the Polytechnic University of Madrid. He teaches at the School of Architecture, University of Granada, and is part of the HUM958 Research Group at the University of Seville, also collaborating with the International University of Andalucía. He has been recognized with the Europan III Prize and the Malaga Architecture Award, among others. His work spans public housing and facilities projects, mostly won through national competitions. He's the vice president of Rizoma Foundation and a founding partner of MAIA Consultants SLP. His research and professional work focus on heritage, architectural creation, and contemporary space, specifically on the Spanish coastal tourist areas and the Costa del Sol Metropolitan Zone, exploring degrowth and post-growth theories in architecture and urbanism. He also researches deconstruction, deurbanization, and ecological functionality restoration of tourist coasts for an ecosocial transition. 

Nuria Nebot-Gómez de Salazar, School of Architecture/Department of Art and Architecture, Universidad de Málaga, Malaga, Spain

Architect by the School of Architecture - Polytechnic University of Madrid (2003), and Doctor by the University of Malaga (2012). Lecturer and researcher at the School of Architecture – University of Malaga (2010-2024). Her professional activity started in 2004 in the Architecture Office (https://mlkt.es/) and as a founding partner of the Malakaton collective in 2007 (https://malakaton.wordpress.com/) with an interest in city issues: public space for people and citizen participation.

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Published

24-06-2025

How to Cite

Mora-Esteban, R., Conejo- Arrabal, F., Romero-Martínez, J. M., & Nebot-Gómez de Salazar, N. (2025). Problems and restoration strategies of urban mediterranean rivers in Spain. Guadalmedina river as a potential ecological corridor in the green-blue infrastructure of Malaga, Spain. TeMA - Journal of Land Use, Mobility and Environment, (1), 55–77. https://doi.org/10.6093/1970-9870/11115

Issue

No. 1 (2025): Innovation, green infrastructures and urban form. Towards regenerative city models

Section

SI 2025. Innovation, Green Infrastructures and Urban Form

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Copyright (c) 2025 Ruben Mora-Esteban, Francisco Conejo- Arrabal, José María Romero-Martínez, Nuria Nebot-Gómez de Salazar

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

  

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