This initiative, carried out with APAAEF and the association A Regenerar, seeks to promote biodiversity and protect pollinators on the island’s farms
November 30, 2024 – A total of 25 people met this morning at the Can Fontet estate, in Buscastell, to participate in the creation of a giant butterfly-shaped garden . The activity is part of a new project, ‘Butterflies for biodiversity’, promoted by IbizaPreservation through its Ibiza Produce program, in collaboration with the Association of Organic Agriculture Producers of Eivissa and Formentera (APAAEF) and the A Regenerar association , in charge of designing and shaping the plant butterfly.
During the day, different volunteers planted more than 650 aromatic and nutritious plants, such as lavender, thyme, sage, santolina, rosemary, nettles and parsley, among others, to shape a living sculpture of approximately 10×10 meters . Before starting the planting, Rodrigo Vargas, coordinator and co-founder of A Regenerar, gave an educational talk about the relevance of these and other pollinators in the balance of ecosystems. “In the last 50 years, more than 70% of butterflies have disappeared due to intensive agriculture, the use of pesticides such as glyphosate and the loss of habitats. Pollinators, including butterflies, are essential not only as bioindicators of the health of ecosystems, but also because thanks to them 80% of the food we consume depends on pollination”, he explained.
As part of this initiative, IbizaPreservation organized a meeting between farmers and Ricardo Vargas last Friday, with the aim of encouraging the reproduction of this garden in other farms in Ibiza and Formentera during 2025 and creating a space for reflection on the potential and difficulties of regenerative agriculture. “These types of activities not only seek a positive environmental impact, but also strengthen community collaboration around sustainability and the conservation of local ecosystems,” they explain from the environmental foundation. The butterfly gardens project, conceived by Astrid Vargas, founder of Inspiration for Action , responds to the need to act in the face of the alarming loss of biodiversity, especially in pollinators. Through her book ‘The Magic of Transformation’, which raises funds for actions such as this in schools and rural communities, Vargas raises awareness about the impact of the disappearance of essential species.
IbizaPreservation has expressed its gratitude to all the volunteers for participating in this activity, which seeks to preserve the biodiversity and natural wealth of the island and reports that they will continue developing ‘Butterflies for Biodiversity’ during 2025 with other collaborating farms.
