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Preserving the Mediterranean’s ancient underwater meadows

The Balearics might be better known for nightlife and pristine beaches, but Ibiza and Formentera’s aquamarine waters also hide one of Europe’s most delicate – and under-threat – ecosystem

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Words by Isabelle Kliger

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f you have been fortunate enough to visit the Balearic Islands, you may have found yourself wondering what makes the powder-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters surrounding Ibiza and Formentera quite so postcard-perfect. Part of the answer can be found in an unassuming-looking seagrass with a suitably grandiose name: Posidonia oceanica, or neptune grass.

Contrary to popular belief, posidonia is not an alga, but rather a marine plant, complete with a root, stem, leaves, fruit and flowers. It forms expansive, swaying seagrass meadows that can be found between the water’s surface and depths of up to 40m, such as those located off the coasts of Ibiza and Formentera, where 55,795 hectares of endemic posidonia play a crucial role in the Mediterranean ecosystem.

While this seagrass is little thought of by most travellers here, it is the engine behind much of what you see – and is finally being recognised as such. The meadows found in the Ses Salines Natural Park that spans the waters off Ibiza and Formentera are thought to be some 200,000 years old, and scientists say that they may even be among the planet’s oldest living organisms. They were declared a UNESCO Biodiversity and Culture Marine World Heritage site in 1999.

 

It’s what posidonia does that makes it so important. It plays a huge role in helping to maintain the quality and oxygenation of the Balearic Sea by filtering sediments and giving the water its exceptional transparency. The meadows also provide a home to a complex marine ecosystem of more than 400 species of marine plants and 1,000 species of marine animals – from molluscs and fish to spiny crustaceans, echinoderms and gentle sea turtles. For travellers, this is its biggest appeal. The visually stunning treasure trove of colourful plant life and fascinating sea creatures makes this corner of the Mediterranean a must for divers and snorkellers.

Mountain in the background, surrounded by water
But posidonia isn’t just a unique environment to explore, it has plenty of wider-reaching effects too. Its stray leaves form barriers that shield the coastline from the impact of storms, preventing coastal erosion and helping to maintain that famously beautiful white Balearic powder sand. At the same time, it is a key weapon in the fight against climate change. A hectare of posidonia can store 15 times more carbon than a similar area of Amazon rainforest.

Posidonia plays a vital role in maintaining the appeal of Ibiza and Formentera, putting them among Europe’s most desirable beach and watersports destinations and contributing to the economy of the Balearic archipelago. Sadly, this popularity also explains why a fragile ecosystem now finds itself under threat.

 

In addition to climate change, which is slowly heating up the Mediterranean to the point where it may no longer be able to support the posidonia, tourism threatens its very existence. Marine pollution, bilge water discharge and the anchors from boats – which sweep the seabed clean, pulling up entire meadows – are some of the greatest threats to the seagrass beds, as are the wider fishing practices within the region.

Birds eye view of the beach
In 2017, the Save Posidonia project was launched. Supported by the Island Council of Formentera, this fundraising programme seeks to promote sustainable tourism and to protect and preserve the seagrass meadows. Donations are welcomed and all funds raised go exclusively to the conservation of the posidonia. Each one-euro contribution is used to preserve a single square metre of these undersea meadows, and donors can choose whether or not they wish to be named in the official list of sponsors.
The Island Council of Formentera has also passed a ‘Posidonia Law’ to manage human activity, so as not to further damage the seagrass. A limit has been put on the number of cars allowed on the island in summertime, and buoys have been strategically placed to help boaters avoid the meadows. An anchoring patrol is also helping to educate sailors and uphold the rules at sea.
Cruise in the sea

In addition to sponsoring the project, you can also do your bit to protect this endangered seagrass while on dry land in the Balearics. Reducing water and energy consumption, avoiding single-use plastics, never throwing waste in the sea and making sure to only anchor in clearly designated places are just some of the ways to ensure your visit to the islands doesn’t negatively impact its posidonia meadows.

 

Last but not least, when visiting Ibiza and Formentera, you can opt to spend your hard-earned cash within the network of hotels, restaurants, cafés, bars and shops that have pledged to dedicate a portion of their profits to the Save Posidonia project. Examples include the Trasmapi ferry company that transports travellers between Ibiza and Formentera, the Beso Beach club in the Ses Salines Natural Park, the Blue Bar beachfront Mediterranean restaurant and the ultra-chic Gecko Hotel and Beach Club.

Glossary

The quality of being able to continue over a period of time, or the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance (Camrbdige Dictionary).

This refers to ‘the variability of living organisms, between and within species, and the changeability of the ecosystems to which they belong’ (The Convention on Biological Diversity).
According to the Responsible Tourism Partnership, ‘Responsible Tourism requires that operators, hoteliers, governments, local people and tourists take responsibility, and take action to make tourism more sustainable. Behaviour can be more or less responsible, and what is responsible in a particular place depends on environment and culture’. The concept was defined in Cape Town in 2002 alongside the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The process of protecting an environment and returning it to its natural state; for example, bringing back wild animals that used to live there (Cambridge Dictionary).
A movement reducing the distance between producers and sales and consumer establishments to a radius of under 100 kilometres, with the aim of minimising the effects that large-scale industry have on the planet, including soil erosion, water pollution, and habitat loss for wild species.
Being ‘green’ is used to describe actions or initiatives that are conducted in a sustainable way, in an attempt to reduce impact on planetary resource limits. However, the word can be used to describe actions or initiatives that do not actively do this, but rather convey an ethos of being planet-friendly; eg being outside, walking or riding a bike. This can be considered ‘greenwashing’ (when an individual or company paints an action as credibly sustainable when, in fact, it is an action that beenfits them, or that should be considered the bare minimum).