THE REGENERATION OF BENIRRAS VALLEY

A MULTIPLE SCALE VISION

Benirras Valley

The Kingdom of Heaven is a community Garden situated in one of the most wonderful
and typical landscape of Ibiza : Benirras Valley. This valley has a high potential of land
fertility due to the torrent of Benirras and the small water canals that have been build
centuries ago. Even if some plot have been aboanned still a

From the main road _ connecting San Joan to San Miguel _ to the internationally well
know Benirras beach, famous for her stunning sunset and colorful hippie drums nights, the
landscape is a a mixte of pin forest, agricultural land, old stone walls, orange tree fields,
and typical ibizenca fincas.

Kingdom of Heaven is perfectly located, it is in a quiet spot next to the old camino of
Benirras, till it is easily accesible from main road, and it has a direct acces to the water,
through a perforation well and a basic pumping system that can irrigate the field. Being
situated in the last part of the water shed of the Valley, gives to the land less vulnerability
to water scarcity and the decreasing level of the aquifer water.

Even if the plot of Kingdom of Heaven has still acces to water in summer, Last summer for
the first time, the rare natural pounds connected to springs and the wells higher in the
Benirras Valley, didn't have water anymore. Due to the over exploitation of Ibiza under
Water reserves, the aquifer.

The Invisible Water

In Ibiza, there is no proper river, ( apart what is left from Santa Eulalia’s rio ) only what is
called Torrent : a small trickle of water is visible, sometimes, the rest of the year, the
hydrographic system manifests itself through topographical lines, geological land quality,
high humidity level, that allows reeds plants and other botanical special spieces.

In the old times, the farmers collected rain water all year round, in private or community
pools, and builded ingenious canalization system, connecting the fields, distributing water
to whole neighborhood following a regular calendar.
Now some of those pools are also connected to aquifer water through pumps but most of
the stone made canals are not maintain properly so that this communal system of water
distribution can not function properly any more.

One of the most important problem Ibiza is facing now is the tremendous pressure on the
underground water reserve : the islands aquifers are descreasing, lowering the level of the
underground water, so much that in a lot of places water is not accesible anymore, or
getting too salty.

The vision

Benirras Valley has something magical. As a landscape designer and territory planner, I
lived and studied this valley since I discovered Ibiza, five years ago the beauty of the land
charmed me, so I dreamt of a revival, imagining the old canal systems, flowing with clear
water, the neighbors and residents working together for the maintenance of the canals,
and naturalist experts sharing their study about the specific fauna and flora of this Valley,
the elders sharing their knowledge with new generation of innovating souls, helping each

Agathe Utard March 2022

THE REGENERATION OF BENIRRAS VALLEY
A MULTIPLE SCALE VISION

other to build a resilient future, at the cross road of tradition and innovation, to give water
back to the land and regenerate the soils, and grow food together.

The projet
JOINING TRADITION AND INNOVATION
FOR WATER SOLUTION AT THE SCALE OF THE VALLEY
FROM WATER SCARCITY TO WATER ABUNDANCE

STEP 1 COCREATE A PROPOSAL FOR THE PILOT PROJECT

CREATE A PRESENTATION FOR FUNDING

ORGANIZE JOINT MEETING WITH EXPERTS TO BE INVOLVE
BEGIN MAPPING THE VALLEY
BEGIN MEETING THE PEOPLE

STEP II ACTIVATE THE PILOT PROJECT

MAPPING THE VALLEY

MEETING THE PEOPLE
INCLUDE THE EXPERTS ( APAEEF, Allianza por el agua, GEN GOB)
COLLECT DATA ( Soil quality Water quality Fauna and flora )
ORGANIZE VOLUNTEERS ACTIONS
FOR A FERTIL VALLEY

STEP III MAKE IT FLOW ! MAKE IT GLOW !

INCLUDE NEW TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS

EXPERIENCE NEW WATER SOLUTIONS
CHANGE THE REALITY
WATER ABUNDANCE

The Budget

STEP 1 PROPOSAL 6000 €

Landscape Manager 3000 €
Marketing & Communication 3000€
> With this document we can ask for local, national, european fundings !

STEP II PILOT PROJECT 15000 €

3 different EXPERTS soil / water / flora 3000€ each
Landscape Manager 3000 €
Marketing & Communication 3000€

STEP III MAKE IT FLOW MAKE IT GLOW 20000 €

Landscape Manager 3000 €
Marketing & Communication 3000€
New EXPERTS or material 14 000 €

Agathe Utard March 2022

THE REGENERATION OF BENIRRAS VALLEY
A MULTIPLE SCALE VISION

Mapa IDEIB

Ibiza fènix
4 .33 0 .51 9

PILOT PROJECT: RIVER REGENERATION

Because water is life

Ibiza fènix LANDSCAPE DESIGN INSPIRED BY RURAL LANDSCAPE

MODEL OF RIVER REGENERATION 0 700 1.400 2.800
m
4 .32 0 .51 9
35 6 .63 6 36 6 .63 6
Crè dits ca pes: SITIBSA -GOIB-MAPAMA | SITIBSA -GOIB | IDEIB

Llegenda:

Registre Vitícola Xarxa Hidrogràfica Provisional Masses linials Transició Catàleg de fonts (2007)
Recintes Inscrits al CBPAE Síquia, canal, aqüeducte, conducció o canonada Masses Poligonals Catàleg Zones Humides de les Illes Balears Planes Geomorfològiques d'Inundació

Corfradies Pescadors Torrent Costanera ZONA HUMIDA Natura 2000 coordenades marines
Tàlveg i altres Torrent ZONA POTENCIAL

Data impressió: 19/05/2020 La informació normativa publicada té caracter informatiu. No supleix la necessitat de consultar l'aprovada i públicada per l'organisme competent.

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Agathe Utard March 2022