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Areas Urbanism & territory, Tourism and Economic activities Environment 4th Save Posidonia Project Forum

4th Save Posidonia Project Forum

foto 2021 SPP forumDConsell de Formentera President and Councillor of Tourism Alejandra Ferrer welcomed attendees of the fourth Save Posidonia Project Forum today in the Sala de Cultura (Cinema). The first portion of the day found Ferrer highlighting conclusions reached by working groups that were held yesterday with representatives of the business sector, members of the public, NGOs and experts to discuss the current state of affairs and prepare a roadmap for the course ahead.

Participants in yesterday’s discussions were charged with identifying the most pressing needs on Formentera. Ferrer relayed the most salient points raised, including “regulating anchoring ships to avoid the associated strain generated both at Ses Salines reserve and across the island; regulating and reducing ferry connections between Eivissa and Formentera; determining Formentera’s carrying capacity on land and at sea alike”. The President also emphasised the importance of “global policies, because other territories’ growth-related decisions have knock-on effects on our coastline, which is saturated”. “Formentera’s sustainability strategies are decided with the help of the entire island, but we must go further and involve the entire Mediterranean protecting posidonia and all natural resources”, she concluded.

In his remarks, Councillor of Environment Antonio J. Sanz highlighted the SPP Forum’s growth since its inception in 2017. “It’s an event that connects tourism and the environment”, he remarked, describing the mission as “educating people about a resource which, as biologist Manu San Félix once reminded us, gives us the oxygen we breathe on Formentera”. “In posidonia we have our lungs”, stressed Sanz, who listed the projects that have been financed through the sponsorship of seagrass meadows. He also told attendees that the University of the Balearic Islands' ImPeFora project, which will analyse the effects of microbeads on posidonia, won the latest Save Posidonia Project call for proposals, along with a €112,000 grant.

The second block of the Forum is focused on ‘Smart sustainability: conserving posidonia’. It will feature working tables and talks in which experts discuss the present and future, the development of new innovative models in environmental sustainability and success stories of technology-driven sustainability.

For the third and final block in the afternoon, discussion will turn on local emissions and possible solutions, and the event will close with a round table on the leaders of the future of sustainable tourism and the closing ceremony, once again led by President Ferrer.

Saturday, 25 September

The SPP Forum also comes with opportunities for volunteers, like a 9.30am clean-up of S'Estufador beach organised in association with Plastic Free Formentera and Qué Celeste. A bus will depart from Sa Senieta car park in Sant Francesc at 9.00am.

At 12.30pm, a visit to posidonia meadows will include a boat trip, explanation of the ecosystem inhabited by posidonia and a diving activity overseen by a guide.

The full SPP Forum programme is available here.

24 September 2021
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

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Formentera neta, naturalmet gràcies a valtros

Xarxa Natura de les Illes Balears

Punt d'Informació Ambiental

Balears Life Posidonia

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