Benejúzar celebrates regional tree day
A TOTAL of 550 trees were planted at an old rubbish dump in Benejúzar to celebrate Valencia region tree day, which fell on January 31.
The activity was organised by the friends of the Sierra de Benejúzar and the San Bartolomé solidarity art associations, in collaboration with the town hall.
A total of 300 students from schools throughout the Vega Baja and their families, and volunteers from Daya Nueva, Rafal and Alicante took part in the initiative, which had the objective of planting native flora to rehabilitate a space that was degraded due to it being an old landfill site.
The planting culminated the following day with the help of schoolchildren from Dolores.
Friends of the Sierra de Benejúzar president, Manuel Ruiz Sala explained the activity consisted of planting Aleppo pine, black hawthorn, juniper, mastic and kermes oak.
He also assured that a further 300 stone pine and carob trees, and shrubs to merge woodland with scrubland were still available for planting in other areas.
Benejúzar mayoress Rosa García said: “The principal objective had been to recover a green zone for all residents of our municipality, as it used to be an old gypsum mine in the Rambla del Estrecho which was used for many years as a landfill site, and thanks to this initiative we will be able to enjoy it in a few years’ time.”
Sra García went on to thank the friends of the Sierra de Benejúzar and the San Bartolomé solidarity art association for ‘all of their help and organisation with this project, and for carrying it out’.
She also reminded that another planting day has been provisionally scheduled, details of which will be announced
shortly, ‘as we still have a further 700 plants to put in this area’.
She invited all residents of the Vega Baja ‘to participate in future activities such as this one, which has the objective of improving our environment and natural surroundings, and which is also beneficial for our health’.