“Islas de Xàbia” project defines action plan for Descobridor, Portitxol and the islets
An international team made up of more than 22 specialists in flora and fauna will define an action plan for these special places,
Wednesday 21st April 2021 – PRESS RELEASE with Mike Smith
The PIM pour les Petites Iles de Méditerranée initiative, in collaboration with the Generalitat Valenciana, the Conservatoire du Litoral and Xàbia Council is carrying out a study entitled “Islas de Xàbia“, a field investigation of the islands and islets of the southern coast south of the town.
An international team made up of more than 22 specialists in flora and fauna aims to complete a diagnosis of the situation of biodiversity and invasive species, to monitor seabirds, and to plant flora species in extreme danger to boost their recovery. This joint initiative will allow an in depth understanding of the state of conservation and define an action plan for l’Illa del Descobridor, Portitxol and other small islands along the coast of Xàbia.
The coast of Xàbia is included in the area of the Natura 2000 Network “Penyasegats de La Marina“, declared by the Generalitat Valenciana as a Site of Community Interest (SCI) in 2001 and as a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA) in 2009 for its interest for seabirds.
And it is that the peculiarity of this space – with a group of islands – that makes it a suitable place for the conservation of threatened species and the reintroduction of extinct ones.
That is why the islands have been periodically visited by technicians from the Generalitat’s Wildlife Service to study their flora and fauna. Interest in its conservation increased since the alliance with the PIM initiative “Petites Iles Mediterranees” and with the increasing pressure that the Xàbia coastline supports, which makes it more urgent to defend and recover its natural heritage.
In addition to the project on the islands, the PIM initiative is willing to open new avenues of collaboration with the Council to promote actions aimed at the sustainability of the coastline. In this sense, officials of the group have met with mayor José Chulvi and the Councilor Toni Miragall (Environment).
