Ses Feixes Wetlands Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Ses Feixes Wetlands
Plot Compuertas (Gateway) Ses Feixes Wetlands
Location in Ibiza
Location	Ibiza, Spain
Coordinates	38°55′4″N 1°27′5″E / 38.91778°N 1.45139°E / 38.91778; 1.45139
Geology	Wetlands

Ses Feixes is a special wetland area on the Spanish island of Ibiza. It's located on the northern side of Ibiza town. Wetlands are like marshy areas where the land is often wet, and they are super important for nature!

What are the Ses Feixes Wetlands?
History of Ses Feixes
- Moorish Irrigation System
- Farming the Wetlands
Threats to the Environment
- Protecting the Wetlands
Good News for Ses Feixes
The Future of Ses Feixes
Gallery
See also

What are the Ses Feixes Wetlands?

The Ses Feixes wetland area stretches from Ibiza Town around Ibiza bay to Talamanca. These wet, low-lying lands are a vital spot for many migratory birds. Birds stop here to rest and spend the winter.

This area is a key safe place for many kinds of wildlife. It is home to a great variety of animals and plants. You can find rare bats, reptiles, and over 140 different kinds of birds here. Wetlands like Ses Feixes are quickly disappearing in the Mediterranean region. This makes Ses Feixes even more important to protect.

History of Ses Feixes

Long ago, the Moors came to Ibiza. They brought amazing skills and knowledge with them. They knew how to turn dry, parched land into useful, fertile agricultural land.

Moorish Irrigation System

The Moors built a complex system of cisterns (water tanks), reservoirs (large water storage areas), waterwheels, and irrigation canals. These systems, including the one at Ses Feixes, changed the original wetland. They moved huge amounts of water away from the land. This made the land very productive for farming.

This clever system also helped bring water to drier areas. It turned both wetlands and dry ground into rich farmland. At Ses Feixes, these smart irrigation systems made the land very productive. People farmed here until the late 1950s.

Farming the Wetlands

Once the soft, marshy soil of these wetlands was taken back from the sea, farmers created many long, narrow plots. These plots were called feixa or field. They made these plots by digging narrow canals, called séquies, around them.

These plots or strips also had underground drainage pipes called Fibles. These pipes kept the soil above them well-watered. At the entrance to each farming area, there was a special gateway. This gateway was called a Compuertas. Sometimes, these gateways also helped control the water flow.

The gateways were built from stone, covered with plaster, and painted white. They look a bit like old structures you might see in ancient Egypt and the Middle East. When the fields at Ses Feixes were at their best, they produced two harvests of vegetables every year. Crops like cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, melons, beans, and Sweet potato grew well in these fields.

Threats to the Environment

Over time, this once-busy farming area was left empty. It has faced more and more danger from building and development. This building has happened around the northern shore of Ibiza bay.

In the 1970s, a new road was built. This road cut off some of the wetland's water outlets. It also split the original wetland into two smaller parts. These parts are now called Prat de Vila and Prat de Ses Monges. The whole area has suffered from being completely abandoned.

Protecting the Wetlands

The island's leaders have now named the area a green belt. This means it is a protected natural space. UNESCO has also said how important this site is.

Even with this recognition, the area faces a new threat from builders. The Spanish government has approved a new harbor project. As part of these plans, a new road might be built. This road would handle the expected increase in traffic. The path of this road could go right through the delicate wetland area.

Good News for Ses Feixes

The wetlands of Ses Feixes were named a Site of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural) in 2006. This was renewed in 2009. This is a good step for protecting the area. It acts as a buffer zone for the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ibiza. This gives the area some protection. However, stronger actions are needed to keep the site safe forever.

In November 2009, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture, suggested something important. They said that the Ses Feixes areas of Prat de Vila and Prat de Ses Monges should be part of the World Heritage site. This is because they are very valuable on their own. They show how clever the Moorish system of farming was. They also represent the best mix of cultural and natural value of the World Heritage site. The Ses Feixes wetland system is also closely connected to the Posidonia oceanica meadows found offshore.

The Future of Ses Feixes

Recently, some work has been done to fix up the old gateways. The main drainage canals have also been cleaned. In the future, people hope to build a special center where visitors can learn about the wetlands. If this happens, it would be a big step in keeping the area safe. The Ibiza Preservation Fund has also supported projects to teach people about how important this ancient wetland is for both nature and culture.

Sadly, eight hectares of wetland were destroyed in just two hours on March 6, 2017. This was caused by a fire that was set on purpose. The current state of Ses Feixes and what will happen to this land in the future is still not clear.