Agenda21 - On reefs, Posodonia and the sea, rubbish, a cosy hotel and an analysis of the regional economy
Chris Jones
Old Town businesses pessimistic about Christmas
Dec 1st
The Association of Merchants of Historical Xàbia is not very positive about the expectations for the Christmas campaign this year. In fact, its president, Juan Planelles, predicted yesterday that it will be "terrible".
Planelles based his claim on November data, which he said, "reflect bad sales, something that ise common in the old town." According to him, close to 50% of the houses and business premises in this part of the town are empty. According to Planelles "we have to fix the historic centre so that people want to come, both to start a business to buy in these places, and to live in the neighborhood." From Las Provincias
New Triana Bridge work to start in the Spring
Dec 1st
After having completed all the administrative hurdles a new bridge is to be built to replace the one over the Rio Gorgos in the port area which was damaged in the 2007 floods. The damages were assessed in 2014 when the Town Hall paid for a technical study which analysed the state of the bridge and recommended demolishing it and rebuilding it completely. The new bridge will be wider, and in addition, will have pavements providing pedestrian continuity to Marina Española. The work will last about three months but the traffic will only need to be diverted for a month since part of the work can be compatible with the circulation of cars.From Chulvi Facebook
Students collect rubbish from along the coast
Dec 1st
The Club Náutico de Jávea, in collaboration with the Fundación Ecomar and Fundación de Oceanográfico, invited children from the fifth and sixth grade at CEIP Port de Xàbia to a special clean-up day along the coast of Xàbia. Collecting rubbish in different point around the port area of the town, the educational activity helped the kids to learn about waste separation to deposit it into the different containers - yellow for packaging, green for glass, blue for paper and cardboard and grey for organic rubbish. Guided by staff from the yacht club and the two foundations, the schoolchildren and their teachers covered the area along the harbour wall to the red lighthouse, the landing zone alongside the fish market and the area of the Paseo Marina Española close to the mouth of the river Gorgos. They collected more than 150 kilograms of rubbish, placing it in separate bags according to the container into which it was to be thrown. For full story see: Javeamigos
Promoting artificial reefs
Nov 26th
Thursday, November 23, the Municipal Sports Foundation of Valencia and Innogate to Europe held in collaboration with the Arrecifes Valencia Project and the European ArtReefs Project (co-funded by the European Union), the first meeting entitled: " Recreational artificial reefs: opportunities for sustainable tourism and coastal management . " Artificial reefs are coastal management tools that combine protection of the marine environment with ecological development and also generate opportunities in the scientific, educational, sports and tourism sectors, such as diving, fishing and surfing. In Valencia, experts from the European ArtReefs Project , the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund of the European Commission and the Arrecifes Valencia Project met to share experiences, analyze the evolution and results of artificial reefs, their management and opportunities for collaboration and European financing. There is already an artificial reef in Valencia, off the Malvarrosa Beach. This is the Arrecifes Valencia Project, led by the Municipal Sports Foundation of Valencia , born in 2013 and a reality in August 2014. It is a recreational artificial reef that combines sports and the environment, promoting recreational diving, improving the underwater landscape and the regeneration of the marine ecosystem as well as the protection of the beaches from erosion. from El Desmarque
Study of Xabia seabed ends
Nov 26th
The Oceanogràfic Foundation, has completed the second sampling program of the Xàbia sea-bed which began in October. The objective of this study is to obtain data on biodiversity (description, structure and state of conservation) of the area with the ultimate goal of consolidating knowledge on the current status and comparing the state of that same sea-floor community of animals and plants, and how they have been affected by human activity before and after the summer period. They will also be looking at the social, cultural and economic relevance. The Foundation has chosen Xàbia for this important action since it is a hot spot for biodiversity in the Mediterranean and there is considerable knowledge of the environment. From Econoticias
Denia uses Posodonia (sea grass) barriers to prevent beach erosion.
Nov 15th
During November, the Ajuntament de Dénia has begun to "build" posidonia dams on different beaches of the municipality with the aim of curbing erosion and preventing storms from washing the sand away. Last year this was done at the Marineta Cassiana beach, achieving a 20% increase in dry beach and will be extended to other beaches this year. The barriers will remain there until the easter. This is a recognised and valued environmental action, and recommended even from the Blue Flag protocol, candidacies for which are being prepared for next season. From La Marina Plaza
Plans for a charming hotel on the Old Town
Nov 15th
An entrepreneur is planning making the building which houses the Sabadell bank in the old town (Plaza Celestino Pons) into a cosy, charming hotel. Built at the end of the 19th century, the house has two parts occupied by the bank and another part which overlooks calle Roques. It looks in good condition on the outside, apart from some graffiti, but inside is a different story. The idea is to convert the top two floors into a small hotel. From : La Marina PLaza.
The Marina Alta - three different economic zones
Nov 19th
The Marina Alta has joined forces to fight unemployment and define strategies to boost the regional economy. Under the umbrella of the Consortium for the Economic Recovery and Activity of the Marina Alta (Creama), the municipalities of the region have come together in the Territorial Agreement for Employment and Local Development. They have a valuable tool: the Territorial Diagnosis of the Marina Alta. A detailed study of the Marina Alta, as a socio-economic unit, which shows that it is heterogeneous and can be roughly divided into three areas: The coast (with its sun and beach tourism), the Interior (which suffers from depopulation, lack of agricultural prospects and poor infrastructure) and an intermediate zone between the two. Actions to improve the economy need to be tailored the area concerned and complementary to those of other areas. The bad transport communications, both within and connecting areas, are a common problem affecting all areas. From: La Marina Plaza. For more detailed information see: Territorial Diagnosis of the Marina Alta
November 2017 set to be driest in 36 years
Nov 19th
It it does not rain in Spain in the next few days, this November will go down on record as being the driest in 36 years, warns the State meteorological agency, AEMET. And this is likely to spell impending disaster for water supplies – although agricultural minister Isabel Tejerina has assured on-tap water across the country is guaranteed until at least the end of the year, reservoirs are currently at an historic low of 37% - the worst in 22 years. Autumn usually brings monsoons to the Mediterranean lasting several days, and between October and December, heavy rain is a regular feature, but the last four or five years have seen the rain dry up with few downpours and showers only appearing briefly every couple of months. December is expected to be much warmer than usual, meaning little hope for rain next month, either. For full story see: ThinkSpain
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Cullen Hightower