Index Anillo Verde de Vitoria-Gasteiz

Ecological and landscape development of Zadorra park in the Atxa-Landaberde section

Brief description
The Atxa-Landaberde section forms part of the future Zadorra park. This is located to the north of the Ibaiondo residential estate, on the left bank of the river Zadorra, between Yurre and Gobeo. The park has a markedly linear layout, with an extension of 170,000 m² and a length of 1170 m.

Initial status. Problem
The land on which work has been made is limited to the north by the river Zadorra itself and the south by the Ibaiondo housing estate, and extends along the narrow strip which widens in the meander formed by the river Zadorra where it meets the river Mendiguren.

Before work began, the appearance of this location was deplorable. From the lowest point, on the river, to the highest point formed by the two marly hills (the hills of Landaberde and Atxa) next to the road, the area was occupied by illegal market gardens on the land adjacent to the river, some farming land and a number of inert waste landfills at the foot of the hills. Moreover, the entire area was full of a number of uncontrolled rubbish dumps and there was even an illegal scrap metal yard.

Moreover, a large amount of rubble, waste material from construction sites and a range of different types of rubbish, scattered all over the area, together with 84 illegal market gardens and associated huts, there were pallets, wire mesh, cables, mattresses, sheet metal, wood, packaging materials, plastics, barrels, buckets, tiles, etc., as well as a range of horticultural tools and equipment.

The development process
Works to develop the park finished in 2006, consisting of the ecological and landscape restoration of the place and of its adaptation for use by the public. The objective was to create a new periurban park within the future park of the river Zadorra and within the network of parks of the Green Belt.

Work completed

• Dismantling of horticultural gardens and the removal of solid municipal waste
  More than 750 tonnes of solid municipal waste (among materials from the market gardens and rubbish from the different tips) were removed and taken to the Gardelegi landfill. More than 3000 kg of used tyres were also selected and taken away to an authorised treatment plant.
• Restoration of the inert rubbish dump and other degraded areas
  This work consisted of regularising the land and bringing in new topsoil. In those areas without plant covering, either due to the removal of soil, or to the compacting of the earth brought about by the uncontrolled passing of vehicles, new topsoil was brought in order to restore the plant covering.
  Close to the main entrance to the park (the old roundabout at the junction between the Duque de Wellington street and the Zadorra avenue) a mound of more than 2 m in height and of variable width was created as an acoustic and visual screen in order to isolate this area from traffic.
  In total, more than 16,000 m³ of topsoil was brought in from the excavations being made to develop sector 5 of Zabalgana.
• Development of the network of roadways and preparation of the Atxa archaeological site
  After covering over the Atxa archaeological site, the area was prepared in order to facilitate its interpretation. Later, a network of roadways was built through the park in order to facilitate access to some areas and to restrict access to other, more sensitive areas, as well as the main entrance into the park. The main roadway, with a width of 4 m and a length of 1300 m, crosses the park longitudinally, links up with the road that comes from Eskalmendi and heads towards Gobeo.

Future situation
The ecological and landscape restoration carried out created different environments and landscapes. Following the meadows and heaths of the marly hills that afford views of mount Gorbea, there are a number of areas of mixed woodland as the slopes of the hills descend and approach the river. The edges of the river are returning to their former state and in those areas where there is sufficient width, there are gall oak woods and natural meadows.