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and potential sources of disease strengthened in Europe. In this context, the Franco years arrived, including a large array of development projects that had immense negative environmental impact. Unfortunately, the drainage of La Janda was among them. After further unsuccessful attempts, in 1964, ‘Lagunas de Barbate SA’ corporation undertook a new effort to drain the marshes. At this time, it was stated that 8,474 hectares of the drained terrain would be considered State Property. This situation was ratified per the Spanish Supreme Court judgement in 1967. Unfortunately, this judgement was never enforced and the public domain was never recovered. The prolonged inactivity of the relevant authorities could not prevent the drained domain from being intensively managed as private agricultural land in the hands of a fewmajor landowners. As a result, the natural wetland disappeared during the late 1960s and a confused administrative situation has remained until today. Nowadays, a reservoir, along with a large outflow channel, regulates the flow of water into the basin. However, during periods of exceptional rainfall, La Janda re-floods repeatedly for a short period of time. Amigos de La Laguna de La Janda Association The NGO was created in 1994 by naturalists who were privileged to witness the uniqueness of La Janda as one of the most important wetlands in Europe during their childhood. The main goal of the Association is the restoration of a representative part of the former wetland, based upon ecological criteria and its declaration as a protected wildlife site. After many years of dealing unsuccessfully with the Andalusian Government, the Association sought support from the foremost national conservation organisations, including SEO/Birdlife. At this point, the central target is to persuade the Spanish and Andalusian Governments to regain ownership over unlawfully occupied land that totals nearly 9,000 hectares. The Agro-ecological Reserve of la Laguna de La Janda-El Águila At the same time as mentoring and making slow progressing through the thorny process of recovering the public domain, the Amigos de La Janda Association, in collaboration with other entities by means of the so-called ‘Alianza Amigos del Pericón’, has decided to undertake, without further delay, a pilot project for the ecological restoration of a significant fragment of the former wetland. In doing so, the Amigos del Pericón Alliance has drawn up a project called Agro-ecological Reserve of la Laguna de La Janda-El Águila. This project is firmly committed to restoring the wetland and its surrounding land with an agro-ecological perspective based on participatory systems with the local population. The two main objectives are: • Carry out, applying ecological criteria, the restoration of 96 hectares of natural and semi- natural wetlands of the former Laguna de La Janda, the aims being the partial re-establishment of natural processes, conservation of biodiversity, and development of ecotourism. • Promote, over 40 hectares of the intensive rice paddies that now occupy the former wetland and over 105 hectares of the adjacent communal terrain, ecological farming practices for the benefit of local communities, wildlife and ecotourism. The Amigos del Pericón Alliance has already signed an agreement with the City Council that owns the communal agricultural lands adjacent to the former wetland. Furthermore, during 2022 it is planned to acquire part of the current area of rice fields and, following the criteria and objectives mentioned above, to take the first steps towards ecological restoration of this wonderful wetland. Spoonbills Bald ibis Manuel Morales HOLGADO is a professional ornithologist and tour guide