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   Nature Reserve Information Centre: 966.40.02.51
   Email: parque_pegooliva@gva.es
   Web: http://parquesnaturales.gva.es/marjaldepegooliva
 
   The Pego–Oliva Marsh Nature Reserve is located on the coast between the provinces of Valencia and Alicante, and covers a surface area of 1,290 hectares. This marsh land was declared “Parque Natural” (regional nature reserve) in 1994. The “Marjal de Pego-Oliva” is situated at the south of the gulf of Valencia and is one of the most important biodiversity areas of the Mediterranean coast. It is perhaps the most important wet zone of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. It is surrounded by the Mostalla, Migdia and Segària mountain ranges, forming a horseshoe shape open to the sea, in the centre of which lies the marsh. It is fed by the waters of the Bullent-Vedat rivers in the north and the Racons-Molinell rivers in the south and by the Mostalla and Segaria aquifers. A network of ancient irrigation ditches and canals transport water from underground sources through the marsh, which gushes from tributaries and springs known in the area as “ullals”..
 
   Its great relevance has furthermore meant that this marsh is also included in the Ramsar Agreement (1971) for worldwide protection of wetlands, as well as being a zone for special protection for birds (ZEPA zone) and forming part of the European Economic Community’s Natura 2000 Network.
 
   GEOMORPHOLOGY:
 
   In the Valencian Community there used to be a string of wetlands which stretched almost unbrokenly down the coast. It was relatively common for the former bays to be separated from the sea by the formation of barriers, as a result of the amounts of sand that they deposited (and still do deposit) through their currents, forming a lagoon. Here the sand barrier (also known as sandbar) which enabled the bay to turn into a lagoon is still present and is now nine kilometres long. The Pego-Oliva marsh is thus a former lagoon which, due to the advanced silting process, looks the way it does today. The main characteristics are a great natural richness and the excellent quality and quantity of its waters..
 
   There are two main rivers, the Bullent or Vedat, to the north, and the Racons or Molinell, to the south.