Sunday, January 26, 2014

A million euros to save a plant

11320 I read this morning that the Department of Environment in Orihuela has commissioned a study by the University of Murcia in order to apply for two grants. The first is to the European Union and second to the Biodiversity Foundation. Both of these grants would be used to protect the Grey Leafed Dwarf Rock Rose, an endangered species of plant which inhabits the Orihuela Costa.

The Department of the Environment has allocated 9,000 euros to conduct the study that could lead to the awarding of a grant of between 500,000 and one million euros for a ‘Life Project’ by the European Union.

The study by the University of Murcia will also be used to help an application for a grant from the Biodiversity Foundation for the same purpose.

Measures are already in place to protect the plant at Cala Mosca. However, the Councillor for the Environment, Manuel Gallud, now wants the provincial Department for the Natural Environment to allocate the status of a micro-reserve to provide greater protection for the plant.

I am sure that there are those who regard this as an important project but to my mind that is an awful lot of money to save a plant that you can buy seeds for at 4.99 euros* per packet.

* Available from the German company Rareplants.eu who claim that none of their seeds are collected from wild specimens.

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