A green environment that dialogues with the Seu Vella, with a naturalized pond, shaded walks, 178 new trees and more than 2,000 plants. It is the “renaturalization” project of the Turó de la Seu Vella of the Lleida City Council. The works will begin next week and, if their forecasts are met, they will be completed in four months. They cost 216,369.53 euros and are included in the Urban-nat Lleida initiative, financed with Next Generation funds from the European Union.
“We present a project that is part of the improvement of the surroundings of La Seu Vella and that is sponsored by the Biodiversity Foundation, which has trusted Lleida with an investment of five million euros and that will help us move forward in our streets. in that friendly city,” said the mayor, Fèlix Larrosa, yesterday in the presentation of the initiative.
The naturalized pond seeks to give freshness to the green space with an aquatic ecosystem that provides habitat for amphibians, birds, dragonflies and other invertebrates. Small areas of breakwater will facilitate the presence of lizards and other animals. The pond will have a surface area of 187 m2 and a capacity of 150 m3.
The works, carried out by the company Agrotécnica del Segrià, affect 6.5 hectares, most of them on the slope of the Turó towards El Canyeret, the area of Punta de Diamant, Puerta de León and Llengua de Serp and also the park of Santa Cecilia. The project aims to adapt the city to climate change, improve biodiversity, contribute to the improvement of the hill from a green environment that "dialogues" with the main monument and offer a pleasant natural public space for citizens, according to the coordinator of Sustainability of the Paeria, Esther Fanlo.
Areas of natural environments will be created with thickets of aromatic plants that serve as refuge for pollinating insects and birds, and there will also be rest and walk spaces for public use.
A new hackberry walk will provide shade from the Puerta del León to the naturalized pond, in the Santa Cecília park area, where an open space will be created and continuity will be given to the pedestrian promenade that runs from the Puerta del León to the surroundings of the Puerta de Sant Andreu.
Esther Fanlo proposes conserving the area's flora, promoting sustainability and greater interaction with fauna. Fruit-producing species such as holm oaks, prunus, hackberries and almond trees have been selected to increase the ornithological and small mammal fauna. 178 trees of seven species and 1,948 shrubs and herbaceous plants of 43 species will be planted, in addition to 90 aquatic plants. The stabilization of slopes on the south and northwest slopes is also planned by applying bioengineering solutions and using the soil from the hill.
The project includes the placement of ten benches in the rest area near the naturalized pond and two insect hotels that contain different materials that favor the settlement and breeding of pollinating insects.
