Listen to the audio version of this article (generated by AI).
The esteemed 20th-century Spanish poet Miguel Hernández once described the people of Murcia—an arid region in southeastern Spain that has partly eschewed the tourism excesses of its neighbors—as “murcians of dynamite.” This description captured their fiery temperament and warm-heartedness, which can be attested today in the heated debate around the remarkably unknown ecosystem of Huerta de Murcia in the region’s capital.
The city of Murcia is unlike anything I’ve seen before. Its vast expanse of vegetable gardens and citrus groves, intricately linked by a sophisticated irrigation system dating back to the Arabs, stands as a landmark in the history of sustainable cities. It prioritizes food supply and a cooler microclimate over urbanization, making Murcia, in essence, a city within a farm.
Although the Huerta de Murcia is not a household name, it feeds Spain and Europe. Most strikingly, its significance for locals has often been overshadowed by folklore. The people of Murcia tend to overlook the critical role of the Huerta in combating the “heat island” effect in their city, where summer temperatures can exceed 40º C. This ecosystem is essential, especially in light of increasing extreme weather conditions due to climate change, and it contributes to the natural purification of water.
Water is a precious common good in this arid region. All the irrigators and landowners in the Huerta de Murcia are members of the Junta de Hacendados, which oversees water distribution for all its members. Disputes regarding water use inside the Huerta de Murcia are legally settled by the Council of Good Men (in Spanish, Consejo de Hombres Buenos), a body that dates back to the 13th century. This council has jurisdiction over matters concerning actions that violate the rules outlined in the Ordinances and Customs of La Huerta de Murcia, such as the repair and maintenance of the irrigation and drainage systems.
The Council of Good Men, declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009, has exercised great restraint by prioritizing reconciliation over punishment. However, this unique democratic institution also bears the responsibility of ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of the traditional irrigation system of the Huerta de Murcia. Yet, a broader segment of the citizens in Murcia is now questioning whether this ancient council is capable of addressing the monumental task of protecting all essential elements of the Huerta from the urban challenges of the 21st century and ensuring the ecological and agricultural balance of the area.
***
When the Arabs, many of whom came from Egypt, arrived in this valley in the 8th century, it was a swamp caused by floods from a steep river in the midst of an arid region with unpredictable intense rain. They called the Segura River the “little Nile” and used their agricultural and water management genius to develop the systematic canalization of the river. They established a network of irrigation ditches and canals to maximize the use of the water. This system diverted the Segura’s floods and managed to drain large marshy areas called the Armajal, enabling the irrigation of vast fields during prolonged periods of water scarcity.
The Huerta de Murcia begins at the Contraparada, a dam built between the 9th and 10th centuries that accumulates the flow of the Segura River. This dam raises the water level and allows for its distribution through gravity across the Huerta and the city via two major irrigation ditches, or acequias: the Aljufía, which directs water through the northern part of the Huerta, and the Alquibla, which serves the southern part. The system is as sophisticated as the arteries and veins of our human circulatory system. Water is pumped from the main acequias into smaller irrigation ditches with beautiful names, such as Aljada (Arabic: Al-Yadda), meaning “the Royal Road,” because its path coincides with the old road from Murcia to Orihuela, located at the limits of Alicante, where the original irrigation system ends after 23 kilometers.
The various irrigation ditches provide water to the soil as needed, utilizing a flood irrigation method. After a short time, the water seeps into the ground, regenerating groundwater levels and aquifers. The remaining water, approximately 65%, is collected in azarbes and returned to the river.
During Al-Andalus, the oldest individuals safeguarded this savvy irrigation system and administered the water supply. They were bearers of the experience and knowledge necessary to manage the water and advised in an impartial and informed manner in the Council of Elders, called Sura. The effectiveness of their management guaranteed the survival of this primitive customary Court over centuries.
Following the Reconquista of the city of Murcia in the 13th century, the Christian kings tried to preserve this knowledge by protecting the old uses and customs of the Arab farmers who stayed and converted to Christianity (moriscos). In case of conflict to correct the abuses of new farmers, King Alfonso “The Wise” relied on Good Men to resolve disputes. These individuals were responsible for overseeing irrigation rules and instructing newcomers on the traditional practices that had sustained the system throughout history.
Read: The European City Designed in a Huge Oasis, Long Neglected
The Spanish Constitution of 1978 acknowledges customary and traditional courts and allows citizens to exercise popular action and participate in the Administration of Justice before those Courts. Currently, Spanish Law LOPJ 13/1999 of the Judiciary recognizes the Council of Good Men with full authority in its jurisdictional area outside the Administrations of Justice of the Spanish State. Consequently, the decisions the Council of Good Men made are final, with only the possibility of appeals for protection before the Constitutional Court.
The Council of Good Men is founded on the ethical concept of goodness, as its members strive for public utility rather than private gain. Most disputes are resolved through reconciliation among the parties involved; the council will conduct a trial if that fails. Each irrigation ditch and channel has a designated caretaker and two inspectors, all of whom are democratically elected by the members of the Junta de Hacendados each month. The president of the council, who also serves as the president of the Junta de Hacendados, and the secretary are elected for an indefinite term.
***
On a sunny winter Friday morning, I visit the Huerta de Murcia with Juan Jesús Sánchez, who reviews all disputes, serves as the secretary for the Council of Good Men, and is the lawyer of the Junta de Hacendados. As we drive, I see gardens filled with artichokes, kale, lettuce, and various vegetables alongside groves of lemon trees, palms, and silkworm mulberry trees. The different types of lemons allow for year-round harvests.
As we pass one of the gardens, Sánchez reminisces about the chime of church bells, which could be heard several kilometers away and helped organize irrigation shifts. He recalls how, as a child, he would swim with his friends in the irrigation ditches. “The original irrigation ditch from my uncle’s garden ran right through here,” he points out. “There was a whole green area around it. There was a rope over the water canal that you could grab to cross or jump into the water. It was wonderful,” he adds with a smile.
Those times are long gone, and little remains of that vibrant landscape. Occasionally, we see water flowing rapidly through some open sections of the acequia, but they are mainly difficult to spot. Sánchez’s old acequia, where he swam as a child, has also been converted into a pipeline underground, a change he attributes to a misconception of “the pursuit of progress.” During Spain’s rapid urbanization of the 1960s and 70s, Murcia expanded, sacrificing gardens and enclosing irrigation channels rather than expanding north into the arid areas. Many families, including Sánchez’s, moved to newly built apartments in search of a better future for their children away from farming.
It’s hard to believe that even years later, during the real estate boom in Spain at the beginning of this century, the city administration did not consider Huerta de Murcia as an integral part of its urban planning. The locals turned their backs on this ecosystem and only saw value in developable land.
As we continue driving, we pass a variety of houses in different styles and sizes. “There has been a lot of permissiveness from the City Council regarding illegal construction, along with a certain political fear of enforcing the law,” Sánchez remarks. People built houses illegally, and city authorities found themselves in a weak position due to a housing shortage. “The word got around that if you built a house and paid the fine, it would be cheaper than obtaining a license. If the authorities had cracked down on the first illegal house, the Huerta would look completely different today,” Sánchez laments. Meanwhile, city officials cut down trees, relegated water to underground pipelines instead of using ancient stone walls, and constructed roads.
“If environmental groups want us to use natural stone to repair the irrigation ditches, that’s fine, but we need to modernize the irrigation system as well,” says Sánchez. This requires money and political will from the City Council. He explains that the Junta de Hacendados continuously cleans the irrigation channels, which often get obstructed “due to a lack of civility from the people.” They discard waste like plastic bottles that clog the irrigation ditches and cause flooding.
I spoke to Marian, the founder of a Facebook site called Salvemos la Huerta de Murcia (Let’s Save the Huerta de Murcia). She started the page when the city authorities approved the installation of pipelines to cover an ancient irrigation channel in front of her house. She posted pictures of the construction and even shared a letter to the Mayor’s Office that gained media attention. Unfortunately, the city ended up covering the irrigation ditch, leaving the remaining pipes on the side of the road, which nature reclaimed, making them look like “giant flower vases.”
She thinks public ignorance about the importance of the Huerta de Murcia is a cause for concern. “If people understood its importance, they would take better care of it,” she asserts. She believes the Council of Good Men has allowed the degradation of the natural and cultural environment they were meant to protect.
“The irrigation ditches carry environmental, landscape, and cultural values we cannot disregard,” Sánchez states. “My struggle often involves raising awareness among older generations about the importance of this heritage. The Council of Good Men should be the first to advocate for environmental issues because we must maintain both the garden and its heritage, which benefits us all.”
Read: Inside Yemen’s Urban Farming Revolution
Sánchez also emphasizes that the farmers continue to maintain the garden despite facing increasing challenges in competition with citrus fruits from Argentina or Turkey, which are more commonly purchased than locally grown lemons.
In an anecdote, Sánchez recounts that the famous Spanish chef Ferrán Adrià once asked at a conference in Murcia why there wasn’t a gazpacho from the Huerta de Murcia or why there was no limoncello, given the abundance of local lemons. “What I am saying is that there are so many possibilities; we need a good plan to manage them,” Sánchez concludes.
The type of gardener at the Huerta has changed over time and differs significantly from the traditional farmer who once worked and lived within its productive system. The new farmers often have full-time jobs and dedicate part of their free time to maintaining the Huerta, which ultimately benefits the entire community.
There is no comprehensive Master Plan from the City Council that addresses the various socio-economic and environmental challenges facing the Huerta de Murcia. The city authorities are working on a new General Urban Planning Plan for the municipality. Still, Sánchez is skeptical: “Politicians focus on the short term and fail to envision the future of the Huerta de Murcia.”
The activist group Huermur has formally urged the City Council of Murcia not to proceed with awarding the Gold Medal of the City of Murcia to the Council of Good Men. They argue that “The Junta de Hacendados, the association to which the Council of Good Men is closely linked, has been responsible for a systematic policy of piping, destroying, and concreting irrigation ditches, which has led to the loss of a fundamental part of the region’s cultural heritage and our natural landscape” that the Council should have avoided at all costs.
Many court rulings are still pending against the Junta de Hacendados. A recent study about the irrigation system found that over 50% of the system has already been destroyed. Activists contend, “The Council’s leniency toward these actions reflects its lack of commitment to safeguarding Murcia’s cultural and natural heritage.” The disappearance of irrigation ditches and alterations to the irrigation system have caused an ecological imbalance, seriously affecting the area’s rich biodiversity. Additionally, amid the increase in extreme weather due to climate change — highlighted by the disaster in Valencia last October caused by heavy rains — Sergio Pacheco, President of Huermur, emphasizes that the irrigation ditches and network help mitigate flood damage by distributing water flow throughout the system, which reduces the intensity and speed of floods.
I asked Sánchez whether the Council of Good Men could theoretically halt the piping of irrigation ditches under its legal protection. He indicated it could, provided there is a strong case. He acknowledges that many things must be reversed; they require both political will and funding. In the meantime, the Council of Good Men is continuing its work with landowners on the understanding, according to Sánchez, that there are “no winners or losers” and that reconciliation is beneficial for all parties.
All the low-hanging fruit to save the Huerta de Murcia has not been picked yet. There is so much that can be done. However, the City of Murcia, the Junta de Hacendados, the Council of Good Men, and environmental groups need to get their act together for the common good of the Huerta, as envisioned by its original Arab creators, and for the public interest of the city. Otherwise, there will be no winners, only losers.
