Formentera has launched an initiative aimed at raising funds to conserve the Posidonia, an oceanic marine plant vital to the local ecosystem. Each of the island's 76,500,000 square meters of Posidonia are available to sponsor and name, for just €1 per square metre.
In October (12-15), the 'Save Posidonia Festival' will take place to raise awareness of sustainable tourism and the natural environment. The festival will include a number of watersport events including a stand up paddle boarding (SUP) 'loop' where visitors can travel around the entire coastline of Formentera. There will also be a series of Formentera Blue Round Tables with discussions and presentations focusing on the local environment and the 'Posidonia Project'.
Each morning at 10am during the festival visitors will be able to try a SUP yoga class, a relaxing way to start the day and learn more about Formentera's coastline.
Other events during the festival include the 'Posidonia Boulevard' - taking place in the main square of the small village of Sant Francesc Xavier - where brands and associations linked to the protection of the oceans and the Posidonia can offer their products and services to visitors. There will also be 'live art' exhibitions, including an auction of an exclusive Save Posidonia Project Surf Table by renowned surf artist Sergi Flama, music events, cinema screenings and a public beach clean-up encouraging kids and families to take part and learn about the environment. The 'Save Posidonia Project' coincides with the UN's Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development in 2017. As well as this, all events held in Formentera during 2017 will contribute to the Save Posidonia Project through donations.
Posidonia is a marine plant, endemic in the Mediterranean, and since 1999 the 'meadow of the Natural Park of Ses Salines d'Eivissa and Formentera' has been declared a World Heritage Site. The Posidonia meadows help to protect the beaches from erosion and are the habitat for more than 400 species of marine plants and 1,000 species of marine animals.
The quality of water is key to future tourism in the Balearic Islands, with the project aiming to conserve the ecosystem and allow the islands to remain a sustainable tourist destination for years to come. The project also aims to bring together locals and tourists, encouraging them to take action to protect the natural ecosystem of the Balearic Islands.