Orihuela Town Council has awarded the service contract for the collection, removal, and transport to a treatment plant of oceanic posidonia remains. The decision comes almost three months after the tender was launched, missing the peak summer season entirely and leading to a summer filled with complaints from local residents regarding the presence of algae on the beaches.
The contract, valid for one year, has been awarded for 80,520 euro to Proyectos y Servicios Ruiz Segura, the sole company to enter the competition. The service is intended to operate between Easter and mid-October. The sea remains are left on the shore during the winter months because they help reduce sand erosion.
These natural accumulations of marine plants, algae, and other organisms washed ashore by currents and storms are permitted to stay during the lower season to serve an essential purpose. They contribute to the protection and stabilization of coastal dunes, reducing erosion and coastal retreat by acting as a natural barrier against the sea swallowing the shore. Furthermore, posidonia meadows are fundamental ecosystems for marine biodiversity.
Regulations prohibit the removal of the plants at any time of year without authorization from the General Directorate of Natural and Animal Environment, even following extraordinary storm events. Consequently, local administrations must balance coastal conservation efforts with public enjoyment of the beaches, as beachgoers often view the plants as foul-smelling nuisance debris.
Alongside the contract announcement, the Department of the Coast has launched a series of awareness activities aimed at informing citizens about the ecological importance of posidonia and marine phanerogams.
The project opens with a lecture titled “Between land and sea: the hidden world of marine phanerogams and their traditional uses” at 19:00 this Wednesday at the Campoamor Yacht Club. The talk will be delivered by Professor Doctor Diego Rivera Núñez, Professor of Botany at the University of Murcia.
The schedule continues from 21st to 25th of this month with three workshops titled “Weaving Posidonia”, also hosted at the Campoamor Yacht Club. These sessions combine beachside observations with collective creative projects, culminating in the creation of a shared art piece made from natural fibre rope and fabric remnants designed to mirror the root and leaf structures of the marine plant.
Participation in all scheduled events is free of charge, though prior registration is required through the municipal tourism website at orihuelaturistica.es.
Other Articles
