Marjal de Rafalell i Vistabella, Protected wetland in Masamagrell, Spain

Marjal de Rafalell i Vistabella is a protected wetland covering roughly 103 hectares near Valencia, composed of wide reed beds, rushes, and shallow lagoons with underwater plants. The water flows naturally through the site, creating different habitats for animals adapted to wet environments.

The site gained protected status in 2002 when it was included in the Valencian Wetlands Catalog. This legal protection came as regional authorities recognized the need to safeguard the few remaining natural wetlands in the area.

This wetland preserves one of the few remaining examples of the natural landscapes that once extended across this coastal area north of the Turia River. It shows how Mediterranean wetlands looked before modern development changed the region.

The marsh lies between Massamagrell and the Rafalell and Vistabella areas of Valencia, beside the V-21 motorway, and is crossed by irrigation canals and small lagoons. Parts burned repeatedly, most recently in February 2015, when 12 hectares went up on both sides of the V-21. Access is on foot along the canal banks; no visitor facilities are documented.

Between 2007 and 2009, European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis) were released here to re-establish the native species. In July 2011, volunteers of the Emys Project caught a juvenile about four years old that had been born in the marsh, confirming that a population of roughly 50 turtles was breeding again.