Huertas Life Km 0

Huerta Km 0

Environmental recovery of peri-urban areas through intervention in the ecosystem and farming

LIFE 12 ENV/ES/000919

Duration

3 years and 4 months (01/09/2013 to 31/12/2016)

Introduction

The grounds surrounding Zaragoza Huerta offer an environmental opportunity and allow generating a valuable economic activity:

• Enables a specific primary sector of great potential for the local economy and boost employment
• Revalues the traditional cultural heritage
• Provides healthy products grown here, "products our products Km0"

Objectives

• Retrieve the fertile soil of suburban Zaragoza in which traditionally has been growing fruits and vegetables and now is in a state of regression by default, crop substitution and the threat of urban sprawl.
• Regenerate biodiversity of flora and fauna and adapt the arable land for a natural agriculture, Huertas LIFE Km0 that indigenous and traditional varieties harvested for consumption in proximity ("Km0 Products").
• Promote and support the activity of new eco-farmers with entrepreneurial spirit, providing them with training to practice the craft and technical assistance to start and grow your new business.
• Build three new urban gardens for use and enjoyment by the public and as a starting point for new eco-farmers.

Interventions

• Environmental intervention in the Huerta de Zaragoza
• Boosting natural farming and traditional indigenous varieties
• Demarcation of plots suitable for the existing culture in the Huerta de Zaragoza
• Adaptation of a plot as natural growing experimental plot
• Modelling of the operation: "Huerta Km0 LIFE"
• Promotion of new entrepreneurs farmers
• Training in "Green Km0 Agricultural School"
• Impetus to the creation of Urban Gardens
• Plan awareness and dissemination of "Products Km0" between citizens

Expected Results

• Start cultivating 25 traditional organic farmers
• Creating at least 25 new jobs (eco-farmers) plus induced jobs project implementation
• Reduction of CO2 emissions in that space by more than 32%. Also will stop being issued about 30 T of CO2 per year in transport
• Creating biological corridors through the network of ditches and maintenance of roadsides and borders
• Km0 marketing of products in one of the municipal markets and 10 local neighborhood fruit and vegetables
• Incorporation of these products in public schools and catering establishments.
• Creating a direct point of sale in the agricultural space itself
• Gourmet "flavors from the garden" campaign Zaragoza restaurants
• Increase the number of certified organic gardeners in Zaragoza

Budget

Acts Done

• The Agricultural School Huertas Km0 LIFE project continues with the selection process of new farmers.
  Activities performed on 07/11/2014
• Biodiversity Conference
  Key Biodiversity Conservation and Desarrollo
• Agricultural school presentation ceremony, June 17, 2014
  On Tuesday 17 publicly presented the Green Km0 Agricultural School, a training center for professional incorporation into organic agriculture, "Huertas Km0 LIFE" project of the City of Zaragoza.