AGRICULTURAL NATURAL PARK OF CARRISSALS, El x Ba i x Vina lopó

 

ABOUT US

OUR LAND. OUR HISTORY

Our lands are located in the old lagoon of Elche and therefore binding sites and on the perimeter of El Hondo Natural Park Elche-Crevillente and Elche Salinas-Santa Pola. We are also within the territories designated as a Ramsar area, ZEPA (Special Protection Area for birds), special agricultural protection, special protection Wetland, Site of Community Interest (SCI), and so on. We are therefore considered as the green corridor, or arm of the union of two ecosystems that make up the two Natural Parks described. In the territory of Carrizales are surveyed about 160 species of birds, many protected and endangered species such as Flamenco, the Marbled Teal, the Malvasia Canastera or bald, and so on.

Our channels of drainage or ditches, which rise in our community, and adjacent to the municipalities of Dolores, San Fulgencio and Crevillente and flowing into the sea, are maintained naturally as our ancestors were created by more than three centuries. Very important historical feature that differentiates us from other communities of irrigators in the environment. Furthermore, these channels have been declared of special ecological interest for the regional administration, the environmental richness and biodiversity they contain. The most important ditches are Azarbe D'alt, Azarbe of Robatori and Azarbe Ancha, all drainage, except Azarbe D'alt that within its first five miles is of irrigated. In total we have about 90 kilometers of channels open in nature and without cement, which would add an infinite number of small drainage channels that are also present in nature and that they are home to an immense wealth of environmental and biodiversity of flora and fauna.

These drainage channels in their births start with a width of about 3 meters and its estuary reach 12 meters. There is a particularity that the Vinalopo river flows into the Azarbe D'alt with what sometimes endure strong in this channel flood water caused by the cold drops typical of this area and causing minor flooding and disasters affecting the undermined economy of our Irrigation Community.

The river basin affecting Carrizales are divided between the Segura basin and the Jucar, since, as we outlined before the Vinalopo river empties into the Azarbe D'alt, which is owned by the Irrigation Community Carrizales. The water for irrigation comes from the Segura River flows -flows that are becoming less and lower quality, excess flows that sometimes come from Vinalopó River, especially in isolated cases of rain in the headwaters of that river; and flows that provide us with private companies like Riegos el Progeso and Riegos de Levante. It is remarkable that, although the Vinalopó river provides a constant flow of 150 liters per second, this water is unfit for irrigation as its conductivity is around the 7,000 th, except that sometimes flow is increased by the rain, in which case it is used by the Community of Carrizales for irrigation, and in other cases this water is used by the pools dedicated to hunting activity and rearing of mullet and eels, activities that can support higher salinities levels that agricultural activities.

The Irrigation Community Carrizales's mission is distribution and organization of irrigation water and maintenance of channels, both those described above as many other minor, also maintained in nature without cement. For this task we have our own machinery, being very environmentally friendly, and exposed as an example of good environmental practice. Equipment and machines that perform this maintenance are adapted to produce minimal environmental impact and suitable for wildlife habitat in the ditches of special ecological interest. Without these channels maintenance work would soon become pockets of rot and lifeless.

AG R I C U L TU R AL N ATU R AL P AR K OF C AR R I S S AL S

Of joint work with Professor Cantarino emerged the possibility of organizing a conference that we call "The need for agriculture for the survival of natural areas" and that was hold on 15 November 2008 at the Congress Center of Elche. At the conference attended among other specialists and researchers: the General Director at the European WADI Program; Ms. Felicita Scapini, Professor at the University of Florence, the Director of the Natural Park of Maremma of Italy; and the Director of the Baix Llobregat Agricultural Park, Mr. Josep Montasell. They showed us their papers in what is being done in other places.

The conclusion of the conference mentioned was that agriculture is an activity needed to maintain the ecosystem of the reeds and the Nature of Hondo and Salinas, an activity that is not destructive of the landscape and the land, but on the contrary. In carrying out farming activities we keep our environment, its natural properties, while we "saved" it from other less sustainable activities - industry, construction, etc.. The agricultural activity, while maintaining and preserving the country, forms an economic activity that should allow live the same to farmers, ranchers and owners of wetlands in the area, also in a responsible and sustainable way.

This project was submitted to the regional administration in February 2009, specifically the then Regional Minister of Environment, Water, Urban and Housing Mr. Jose Ramon Garcia Anton. As result of this interview we decided to undertake this project rely on the commitment of the regional administration to help push through the initiative of the Agricultural Park project. It has also been submitted to the Town Councils of Elche, Santa Pola and Alicante , Provincial Deputacion of Alicante, The Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, Unions, Universities, etc., and everyone thought it was a great idea.

AN INNOVATIVE , ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY, SUSTAINABLE, AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATING AND ECONOMIC STRENGTH INNITIATIVE.

The initiative for agricultural parks has operated in Europe for several years, although in Spain we have only the Baix Llobregat Agricultural Park as practical experience, also networking with the various government institutions.

- Protect, preserve, maintain and improve the landscape and biodiversity in the region that make up the Carrizales.

- To develop agriculture in the European agricultural model, that is to say to become profitable economic but also friendly with environment and produce quality food.

- Promotion and development of craft industries / food processing, which involve adding value to agricultural products, livestock and fisheries.

- Promote and disseminate the Rural Tourism in all its aspects; Agritourism, ornithological tourism, trekking through routes and paths, etc..

- Creating a Quality Mark which identifies the products and services in the park and which involves a value added to them to provide sustainability to the project.

- Encouraging and supporting rural women and unemployed, so that they may find an employment opportunity in the activities developed in the field of Agricultural Natural Park of Carrizales, and facilitate the return to rural activities of people that one day had to left the countryside in search of better job opportunities, and at this time and due to the economic crisis they are doomed to unemployment.

In the first half of September the presentation of the proposed statutes is planned to be reconciled, and possibly improved from the initial proposal, with all entities involved to govern CONSORTIUM OF NATURAL PARC DELS AGRARI CARRISSALS.

Carrizales keeps in mind to be able to extrapolate our initiative to other areas and districts of the Valencian Community, and other people and territories can benefit from our initiative and experience.

The intention of the Community Irrigation Carrizales is that the Consortium who manage, supervise and support the Park, shall consist of all public administrations, private entities, unions, etc.., Which we enumerate: Ministry of Environment, Water, Urban and Housing; Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Ministry of Tourism; Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine; Deputation of Alicante, Town Councils in Elche, Santa Pola an Crevillente Town Hall; Workers Unions (such as UGT and CCOO), Agrarian Unions, Private and Public Universities in Elche and Alicante, Fundación Comunidad Valenciana, ADR Camp d'Elx, environmental and conservationists groups, and so on., etc., and by the Irrigation Community Carrizales itself.

- Governing Board, composed of government of Carrizales.- Technical body composed of all universities, research bodies, foundations, and others.- Advisory Body, comprising trade unions, neighborhood associations, environmental groups, etc..,

The proposals from the Community of Irrigators Carrizales intend to develop within the Park would be:

AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES:

Traditional agricultural crops fruits and vegetables, ornamental plants, etc.., And the rescue of indigenous crops which over time have disappeared, such as the cultivation of “Barrilla”, “Aguazul” or “Salicor-saltwort” and that in past centuries was instrumental in production of soap from Marseilles, and we are now seeking to recover it by creating a line of natural cosmetics based on these plants, etc. .., etc.., all grown under the Integrated Agriculture bases free of debris.

The modernization of irrigation systems that improves farm profitability and rationalization of water will also be crucial in achieving the proposed goals, not to mention that since Carrizales will start organizing and planning of crops annually proposing a number of crops called “environmentally necessary” such as alfalfa, sorghum, barley, etc.. very beneficial for the fauna from Carrizales and its environment.

The maintenance of the whole network and uses historic flood irrigation should also be kept either by their enormous cultural value; agricultural - as intermittent flood irrigation prevents soil salinisation-; and ecological - as the flow of freshwater bring to the aqueducts, which come from drainage, improve water quality causing a large increase in the development of aquatic life, and in parallel, their environment.

Carrizales has the intention of incorporating to other crops adjacent to Carrizales and its socioeconomic environment gradually and as we develop the Park project.

And it also aims to involve the catering and restaurants activities of the region and socio-economic catchment area to consume products from the Park.

AGRO craft activities:

Development of products from crops grown on the area of Carrizales and its socioeconomic backgrounds of the Natural Parks of Hondo and Salinas, such as juices, jams, milk derivative products, juices with added antioxidants, natural cosmetic line, honey virgin (without distorting), etc. .., etc..

TOURIST PROJECTS:

Encourage and develop rural tourism, agrotourism, hiking trails, bike, equestrian routes, bird photographic safari, etc. .., etc.., Always within an order and under the control and criteria of the Consortium.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS:

Protect, conserve, and look after the landscape, encouraging actions to improve biodiversity, promoting and publicizing the cultural and environmental sensitivity of  the people of neighboring towns as well as tourism that can generate all activities related to the Park and its surroundings socioeconomic status.

Relating to this section is to note that Carrizales intends to propose the implementation of several ponds at strategic sites within the park. Sites that will serve as habitat for wildlife, image and likeness of the pilot pond already done, very successfully, by the environmental association AHSA ( Friends of Wetlands in South of Alicante).

Carrizales also plans to carry out the final agricultural abandonment of certain parcels of land to serve as a refuge for local flora and fauna.

All the above must be agreed and considered in conjunction with environmental groups and conservationists, and with universities, hence the great importance we give to all these entities involved in the Park project. It is worth noting that in the present already the environmental group AHSA is integrated within the Governing Board of Carrizales.

All business activities to be developed around the project, and that we expose briefly, are organized around the rural cooperative ELS CARRISSALS, Soc. Valencia, it is the case of a multiproduct cooperative and it will market all its products and services under the trademark "NATURAL CARRISSALS”.

Various activities, listed below, are already identified as immediate projects, ie before next 6 months their products are already on the market:

· Pomegranate juice Melon Juice.

· Canned tomato, pepper, mixed with cod, tuna, onions, etc.. In this same section also embracing the jam section of melon, pomegranates and figs, sweet tomato and onion, etc..,.

· Honey virgin.

· Distribution machines of pasteurized fresh milk straight from the cow.

· Milk derivative products, cheese.

· Derivatives of eels and mullet.

· Sea salt of the first flower enriched with spices.

· Fresh seasonal produce such as artichokes, broccoli, etc..,

The following are the sections of the Cooperative that will be implemented in a second phase, a period longer than 6 months and in some cases may involve several years for its implementation:

· Natural cosmetics.

· Travel services, agro-tourism, hiking, etc. ..

· Wine and olive oil.

· Extracts of aromatic plants.

· Juices fortified with natural antioxidants.

· Cultivation of varieties native to Lison, the camarroja and sea lavender.

· Fourth range.· Etc., etc..

Within the organizational structure of the Irrigation Community Carrizales have been set up several working groups (from the Board of Younger Governors) who are already making and evaluating proposals to be submitted to the Consortium once triggered.

· Agricultural development.

Its mission is to assess the agricultural potential with the implementation of the modernization of irrigation, development of manuals, products traceability, quality parameters and standards for Integrated Agriculture free of debris, and the regulation of crops, proposed rescue of native crops, proposed introduction of new crops, etc..

· R & D & I:

Its mission is to serve as liaison between the universities and the AGRICULTURAL NATURAL PARK CARRIZALES for R & D, seek and develop new business opportunities and niche markets, introduction of new alternative crops for current - such as aromatic herbs-, development proposals for value-added products, and offer products for artisan food industry.

· ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS:

this department will propose a complete process that tends to harmonize the environmental values and to balance environmental protection. Thus, the orientation of the project aims to promote and integrate the environmental dimension, indissoluble to own agricultural landscape of the Park for the purpose of promoting sustainability.

· Tourist development:

Its mission is to detect and to cherish all the opportunities related to rural tourism, ornithological tourism, environmental paths, etc.., that AGRICULTURAL NATURAL PARK CARRIZALES and two Natural Parks can offer, and seek ways to disclose all of our values to potential tourist markets. The journal called " ENVIRONMENTAL AGRICULTURE” is being published with the direct target of disclosing all tourism and environmental values of the park. The magazine will be disseminated in both Spanish and English languages, with a circulation of about 9,000 copies, with intent to deliver a copy to each MEP European Parliament. It may be provided trough the Internet in Spanish, English and French versions, etc. ..

· LEGAL ADVICE:

This department is responsible to advise, propose and revise standards and compliance manuals for different departments, ie, it is responsible for ensuring full compliance with the laws and rules both external and internal organizational structure to be created in the Park.

· MARKETING AND SALES:

This department is responsible for finding new market niches for products and services from AGRICULTURAL NATURAL PARK CARRIZALES and propose appropriate courses of action for achieving objectives.

All members of these working groups exposed part of the young governing board of Carrizales, and yet all have the distinction of being owners of land in Carrissals , either directly or through their parents, so they are fully involved and in addition we are ensuring generational renewal of the Park.

To summarize the above outline that the AGRICULTURAL NATURAL PARK CARRIZALES covers all possibilities that this Park can provide: agriculture, different types tourism, conservation and environmental preservation, processing industry of agricultural products and sustainable handmade, crafts and articles related to natural products, recovery of cultural traditions, and above all, restoring confidence and enthusiasm to our territory and its people for it to seize all the opportunities we have at our disposal.

We are forming in the second practical experience of Agricultural Park at the state, and without detracting from any of those in the world, ours is a broad spectrum and covers a myriad of opportunities. It is in our hands to make our land a place of innovation, create jobs, and do so in a sustainable and environment friendly. And what it is very important: this can be an example of how we work and our accumulated knowledge: “know-how” of our land.

All those interested in learning firsthand and visit the territory of Carrizales, please contact our email and schedule a site visit to see the environmental values and immense biodiversity that we have. We are happy to show our land !

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