Posidonia on Formentera and a project combining food, holidays and biodiversity

The crystal-clear waters that have made Formentera so famous throughout the world have a secret: their colour is largely due to the presence, on the seabed, of endless prairies of Posidonia Oceanica, a true natural purifier. It is precisely in the island's waters that the world's longest-living (over 100,000 years old) and most extensive Posidonia is to be found, covering a total of 7 kilometres. Numbers that caused this long line to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Posidonia - which is not seaweed, but a plant with roots, stem and leaves - flowers in autumn, while in spring it produces floating fruits, called 'sea olives'.

It forms prairies crucial for marine life, protecting the coast from erosion and being home to many animal and plant organisms, which find protection and food here. A treasure to be preserved, monitored, cared for, precisely because of its role in biodiversity. Paul & Shark has chosen it as the heart of a project it has set up on the island of Formentera together with the local association Vellmarì, which for over 30 years has been involved in research and protection of nature and the marine ecosystem, with a focus on Posidonia. The brand will allow Vellmarì to plant 700 specimens, strengthening their presence and preserving a treasure that is not only crucial to biodiversity, but is the driving force behind the island's beauty.

An activity to support the territory that the brand decided to activate in parallel with its project to customise the Juvia restaurant, located on the northern coast of the island. A customisation that is perfectly integrated with the surrounding environment, from the mise en place to the seating in the large outdoor area overlooking the sea, the menu and the drink list, and all the details that accompany the guest in a gastronomic experience straddling Italy and Spain that is also a different, almost intimate way to get in touch with the island. Founded by a group of Italian entrepreneurs in the heart of Es Pujols, the restaurant is a well-established meeting point, a ritual stop on a relaxed day on the beach, from lunch to dinner, as well as the aperitif served in the outdoor chiringuito, against the backdrop of the sunset.

The creative concept of the restaurant is inspired by the history and identity of the island, with light wood furnishings with details in shades of blue and light blue, made largely of recycled materials that respect the environment, in the sign of upcycling, increasingly present in the brand's signature projects. "Juvia by Paul & Shark", which has just been inaugurated, proposes a calendar of activities that will continue throughout the summer season.