Simon Wade
THE VEGA BAJA’S El Palmeral de Orihuela will be opening a brand new guest area for visitors to use just in time for the summer season.
The Councillor for the Environment, Dámaso Aparicio, mentioned that the project was signed off and is, “already a reality.”
He said, “[In time for] World Environment Day, we make this area available to the residents of Orihuela and the entire Vega Baja for those who want to come and enjoy this privileged environment.”
The new visitor reception area will have a picnic area and an amphitheatre using palm tree stumps for some of the seating.
It is a plot of some 800 m², next to the interpretation centre, costing approximately 47,000 euros.
Half of the cost is covered by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) within the framework of the Sustainable Growth Operational Program.
Aparicio mentioned, “We carry about 2 million euros of investment through this term and we are about to award the maintenance contract for the Palm Grove worth 1.2 million euros over the next four years.”
The unique ecosystem was declared a “Picturesque Site” in 1963, according to Decree 2262/1963 of July 24
In 1985, Spanish Historical Heritage established that “Picturesque Places” are considered Assets of Cultural Interest.
Only a few decades ago there were roughly 30,000 palm trees in the area, declining to some 8100 in 1993.
In 2002, there were only 7400, but the inventory update in 2020 showed that there are some 8,931 trees, 5,932 of which are owned by the town council.
Some 1275 palms are considered to be monumental trees according to the Law on Heritage Trees because they are over 12 metres high.
Details at https://www.palmeraldeorihuela.com/en/
OTHER LOCAL NEWS:
– Lifeguard service and improved facilities resume in time for high season on Spain’s Costa Blanca
– New cycle lane costing nearly quarter of a million euros to get built on Spain’s Costa Blanca
