Tag Archives: Territory

Land Stewardship Scheme as a solution

Visits: 186

Just three months ago on 29 July, we entered a global ecological deficit. It was called the Earth Overshoot Day 2021. That means that all the resources that we have consumed in the world since that date cannot be regenerated and we are going into the accumulated natural reserves that are diminishing at an alarming rate. It also refers to the pollution produced that cannot now be absorbed into the biosphere.

That organisation that annually calculates when Overshoot Day is reached has chosen 100 initiatives for the entire world that can help delay the date. The solution that they proposed is one that we promote from GOB: the Land Stewardship Scheme.

Specifically, a study has been done on the ecological footprint from the production of beef in the Land Stewardship Farms. They have taken into account factors such as the type of food given to the cattle – if produced on the same farm or, if imported, the distance covered; if the cows are out to pasture or are in cattle sheds etc; the energy resources consumed by the farms – electricity, fuel- and the use of fertilizers amongst other things.

The result has been that the production of beef on Land Stewardship Scheme farms has an ecological footprint up to 64% less than the national average. This is a really significant difference that comes from two factors.

The first factor is the resources consumed with each type of production and the associated pollution. To produce a kilo of beef from the Land Stewardship Scheme requires 15% less in financial resources than that required by conventionally produced meat. This contradicts the theory that to produce organic meat extensively is more costly than by intensive farming.

The second factor is the Land Stewardship Scheme itself. It is that much of the land for the Land Stewardship Scheme would not be considered by conventional farming as giving optimal production value. Land Stewardship farms take advantage of the mosaic landscape that combines cultivated land with areas of wild vegetation for agricultural production. The livestock eats partly from wild pasture roaming through wooded areas and scrubland. Furthermore, this type of management does not deplete the biodiversity but rather encourages it.

In this way, the consequence is not only the kilo of meat that is produced but also there are additional positive results such as the capture of carbon coming from the vegetation of the managed areas.

As consumers, all of us have the possibility to encourage the type of food that respects the ability of regenerating the World. Bear this in mind when you go shopping.

You can consult the available products of the Land Stewardship Scheme sold direct on https://www.gobmenorca.com/productescustodia. You can learn more about the program by watching the videos listed on our You Tube Channel.

You can see news on the Global Footprint network website.

The calculation of the ecological footprint for the production of beef has been possible thanks to the economic support of the MAVA Foundation within the Foodnected project.

Thursday 17 June discussion on today and tomorrow in the agricultural world

Visits: 1638

The difficulties of the milk subsector; the obstacle of amitgeria (the traditional Menorcan deal between landlords and farmers); the costs and the time that the farmers need to invest in the bureaucracy; the opportunities of new markets; the effects of the arrival of new investors; the strategies for improving the cost effectiveness of agriculture; and other interesting aspects, will be discussed this Thursday at an event organized by GOB. Continue reading Thursday 17 June discussion on today and tomorrow in the agricultural world

Participation on bio indicator monitoring in Land Stewardship Scheme

Visits: 169

Spring has arrived and with it, the monitoring of bio indicators on farms signed up to the Land Stewardship Scheme. The object of this exercise is to demonstrate, through voluntary participation, the positive relationship between the practice of sustainable farms and biodiversity. We are looking for people who would like to help. Continue reading Participation on bio indicator monitoring in Land Stewardship Scheme

Improving the PTI

Visits: 201

At the same time that hundreds of people were presenting objections following the model made available by GOB, the association also submitted a large document with ideas for improving many of the provisions that appear in the texts of the PTI (Pla Territorial Insular, Territorial Planning for the next years) that have been available for public scrutiny for 40 business days. Continue reading Improving the PTI

Seven illegal swimming pools at an agrotourism

Visits: 339

Various illegal construction works have resulted in considerable fines to the managers of an agrotourism that presented a project with a theoretical environmental commitment, now realised to be a hoax. The case shows the necessity of clear regulation with effective surveillance.

The agrotourism of Torre Vella, in the municipality of Alaior, presented a project that, amongst other problems, expended a lot of water from the aquifer for tourist services. In an effort to reduce this impact, the project incorporated various below ground level water tanks that could collect water, purified on the spot, which would be used for watering the gardens. Continue reading Seven illegal swimming pools at an agrotourism

Participation in making objections to the PTI

Visits: 196

The PTI (Pla Territorial Insular) is a strategy for defining the territorial model of Menorca. It is now open to public scrutiny and is the best time for giving opinions to improve the documentation that was approved initially. GOB has studied all the documentation and makes available to interested people, an objection form that can be signed by individuals or by legally existing organisations. Continue reading Participation in making objections to the PTI