The Sustainability and Environment Councilor of the Andalusian Government, Catalina García, has visited the renaturalization and conditioning works of the Boticario Park in Almería. This action responds to a historical demand and will allow the recovery of one of the main green spaces in the city. This park, with an extension of about fourteen hectares, had suffered a progressive deterioration since its creation in 2005. Now, with an investment of 2.5 million euros, the Council has bet on its restoration to enhance the native biodiversity and improve its infrastructure and «to become a green lung for the citizens once again», emphasized the councilor.
«We are working with determination for the Boticario Park to become an environmental reference in the province of Almería. With this action, we will recover an emblematic space and ensure that it has adequate and sustainable maintenance, thanks to a better optimization of natural resources and the incorporation of new ecological infrastructures,» explained Catalina García.
In addition, she pointed out that the Andalusian Government is working on formalizing an agreement with the City Council of Almería for it to take over the management of the park once the works are completed. «We have made progress in an agreement that will allow the City Council to take over its maintenance, with the support of the Government and within a common strategy to protect and revitalize urban green spaces,» she added.
The ongoing project has incorporated sustainability and self-sufficiency criteria. A management model has been designed to guarantee optimization of water resources, ecosystem restoration, and the introduction of native species.
In this sense, Catalina García highlighted the implementation of a plant production nursery that will enable the park’s self-sufficiency and will also serve other green spaces in the city. Additionally, a pruning composting and shredding area has been planned to generate green compost, thus reducing the need for external inputs and promoting circular economy.
«The new Boticario Park will be a space for recreation and biodiversity, and will become an open environmental education classroom where citizens can learn about the botanical richness of Almería and the importance of conserving our natural spaces,» she emphasized.
The visit was also attended by the Vice Councilor of Sustainability and Environment, Sergio Arjona; the General Secretary of Environment and Climate Change, María López Sanchís; the territorial delegate in the province of Almería, Manuel de la Torre, and the delegate of Urbanism and Housing of the City Council of Almería, Eloísa Cabrera, among other authorities.
Actions for the recovery of the Boticario Park
The ongoing project includes the integral rehabilitation of the park and the improvement of its infrastructure. Among the planned interventions, priority has been given to vegetation restoration, water optimization, and equipment improvement.
New botanical routes have been designed, with the planting of species representative of the ecosystems of the province of Almería. The naturalization of the ponds through the incorporation of lacustrine and wetland flora has also been planned, favoring the presence of native fauna.
The restoration of the central large lake and the existing water sheets will be one of the most significant improvements, guaranteeing their long-term conservation. Improvements in the irrigation network, paths, and recreational areas have also been promoted to encourage public use of the park.
Accessibility has been a key aspect in this project. Paths and facilities are being adapted to ensure universal access, allowing people with reduced mobility to fully enjoy the park.
A commitment to biodiversity
The councilor, who emphasized that the Sustainability and Environment Council has allocated a total of 51.8 million euros for the province of Almería in the 2025 Budget, highlighted the role of the Boticario Park within the sustainability strategy of the Andalusian Government. «We have taken on the responsibility of recovering and preserving this space, betting on a management model based on sustainability, environmental education, and the well-being of the citizens,» she said.
She also thanked the City Council of Almería and the University of Almería, entities that have participated in the project design and scientific validation of the actions carried out. «As is customary in the Government of the Andalusian Government,» she continued, «dialogue and cooperation between administrations and institutions have been essential to achieve this common goal.»
On the other hand, Eloísa Cabrera, acting mayor, highlighted the transformation that this space is undergoing «which the Andalusian Government is reclaiming for the city of Almería after years of neglect.» In this regard, she thanked the involvement of the president, Juanma Moreno, and the former councilor and former mayor of Almería, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, in the execution of this work, «turning El Boticario into another great lung for our city, as well as a knowledge hub of biodiversity.»
The project is being carried out with funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (FEADER) within the 2014-2020 framework, under the measure for the maintenance and restoration of cultural and natural heritage.
With the expected completion of the works in August 2025 and the future municipal management of the park, the Andalusian Government takes another step in its commitment to urban sustainability and the recovery of essential green spaces for the well-being of citizens.