BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT
Biodiversity is not just scenery; it is part of our system. We breed insects. We care for birds, bats, and local flora.
Our fields are not empty. They are full of life. And that is something you can notice.
Biodiversity management plan at Fontestad.
Sustainable development and agroecology
At Fontestad, we are aware of the importance of biodiversity in keeping our natural environment alive and well-tended. Therefore, we contribute through our work to its conservation using various practices acquired over the years.
Conservation of Flora and Fauna
For example, we sow plants between the rows of our plantation plots to promote the biodiversity of flora and fauna. In these spaces, herbicides are never used, and we have taken the opportunity to reforest the plantations with native species in certain areas of the estates, such as on slopes and margins.
Furthermore, we plant flowers at the edges of the plots so that native fauna has a food source. We have also installed nesting boxes in the groves near the estate to allow local animal species to thrive.
Additionally, an exhaustive and continuous analysis has been carried out to reduce the visual impact of the facilities—for instance, by allowing aquatic plants to grow in the irrigation ponds—and we ensure the landscape integration of our operations.
We conduct biodiversity studies on our estates, carried out by expert biologists. The objective was to identify and classify all species of flora and fauna on our land to measure the impact of our actions and establish new environmental care measures.
Insectary
At Fontestad, we also maintain a Cryptolaemus montrouzieri insectary on our estates to obtain beneficial predatory fauna for pest control. In this way, we reduce the consumption of phytosanitary products and promote the development of these species, which are of great help in citrus crops.
Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction
Within this same framework of action, one of our priorities is to study where and how energy is most consumed, both in the fields and in the warehouses, so that we can implement specific improvement actions and avoid unnecessary energy use.
For example, we internally promote the correct maintenance of equipment and encourage good environmental practices among employees to uphold a sustainable work philosophy.
Similarly, we use anti-drift nozzles in all phytosanitary treatments and have a completely closed discharge evaporation tank to prevent spills and leaks that could contaminate or damage the ecosystem.
Biological Control
In our plantations, biological control is always favored over chemical control whenever possible. To this end, counts of pests and beneficial fauna are performed, and the best course of action is decided based on the results.
Even when we do not have all the necessary beneficial predators and parasites on hand, we are in contact with various organizations and private companies that provide them to us.
If it is absolutely necessary to use chemical control, we always opt for products with the most favorable toxicological profile and those that are most respectful of fauna and the environment.
We have our own insectary and are committed to biological control, breeding species that help us maintain the natural balance of the crop.
We monitor the estates and auxiliary fauna to avoid unnecessary treatments, and when we act, we do so with clear criteria: authorized products, calibrated sprayers, and anti-drift nozzles.
Waste Management
Water Management
