What is now arid zone Experimental Station began as the Institute of acclimatization of Almería, created in 1947 as a dependency of the CSIC Board Alonso Herrera.

Initially its research activity is framed in the field of agricultural engineering with a particular interest in the acclimatization of varieties of plants to areas with limited water.

Later, during 1950-1952, acclimatization Institute moved to a new building in the street safe overall, where he remained under the Area of agricultural sciences of the CSIC.

As a result of changes in the lines of research, the Institute began a process of restructuring which culminated in 1979 with their integration in the Area of natural resources.

The Institute was renamed the Experimental Station of arid zones (EEZA). From the 70's was added to the Institute's mission the management of several species of African hoofed animals in danger of extinction, activity that is carried out in the Experimental Farm of La Hoya (formerly known as Park's rescue of the Saharan wildlife), a scientific infrastructure and technological Singular of the CSIC.

Since late 1970s Institute has undergone several restructurings, which culminated with the transfer of the same to its current headquarters on the Campus of Almeria. The new headquarters has contributed to the consolidation of the EEZA and reflects its evolution from the initial descriptive studies with agronomic character, to the current lines of basic and applied research on ecological interactions, processes of evolutionary and geomorphologic in order to solve problems of conservation and management of the environment, in particular in arid areas.