Doñana Park Marsh

Within the beautiful confines of the park, the marsh is home to more birds than one could count or try to name. Each boasts an array of magnificent colors as unique as their calls to one another. Hours could be spent watching them interact and go about their day while bringing immense delight to all who are within earshot. Doñana National Park is a natural reserve in Andalusia, southern Spain, in the provinces of Huelva and Seville. It covers 543 km2(209.65 sq mi), of which 135 km2 (52.12 sq mi) are a protected area. The park is an area of marsh, shallow streams, and sand dunes in Las Marismas, the Guadalquivir River Delta region where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. It was established as a nature reserve in 1969 when the World Wildlife Fund joined with the Spanish government and purchased a section of marshes to protect it. There has been a constant threat to the eco-system, that of drainage of the marshes, the use of river water to boost agricultural production by irrigating land along the coast, and the expansion of tourist facilities.