Unprotection of natural areas
The Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Territory of the Balearic Islands Government pursues a policy of reducing the resources availible dedicated to protected areas and an increase in the tolerance of uses that gravely threaten conservation of the most important natural areas of the islands.
Facts
The management budget for the protected areas has been reduced by a third since 2010. The “Espais de Natura” company which up until now has been responsible for the management of parks and natural reserves has been dismantled. The redundancy of staff (technical, naturalist and maitenance) gravely affects iconic areas such as s’Albufera de Mallorca, the Tramuntana mountains, sa Dragonera island or Cabrera. At the same time the protected areas are touristically promoted and the door is opened to private companies for activities that have little to do with natural values (sport competitions, concerts, etc..)
Social and environmental impact
The lack of sufficient economical resources, the reduction of management capacity (surveillance, maintenance, ecological monitoring, planification,...), the intention of the Government to turn the protected areas into another element of mass tourism and the ignorance towards the neccesity of reinforcing conservation measures pose a high threat of enviromental degradation, loss of nature and biodiversity.
Citizen reaction
During the last 25 years the Mallorcan society has managed to demand the protection of 100.000 Ha and their declaration as natural reserves. With a lot of effort and avoiding urbanistic destruction that has affected other areas, places such as s’Albufera de Mallorca, Cabrera or sa Dragonera island have become citizen conservation icons. Now the threat is different: the elimination of management and protection which means that these natural areas would only have real protection on paper.
References
21/02/2013 El GOB informa a Ramsar del deteriorament en la protecció de s’Albufera de Mallorca
31/01/2013 Dissabte 2 de febrer, bicicletada cívica en defensa de Ses Fontanelles
29/01/2013 És positiu promocionar els espais protegits, però irresponsable fer-ho quan a la vegada s’elimina capacitat gestora
28/01/2013 Avui es compleix el 25è aniversari de la declaració del Parc Natural de s’Albufera de Mallorca
09/01/2013 La creuada de Company contra els espais protegits contravé la diversificació i recuperació econòmica de les Balears
27/12/2012 Ara toca Cabrera
05/12/2012 Company: dimissió
24/11/2012 El GOB dóna suport als treballadors dels espais protegits en la seva jornada de protesta
13/11/2012 El Govern posa “en perill d’extinció” els espais naturals protegits de les Balears
09/11/2012 El GOB demana la dimissió de Biel Company
24/05/2012 En el Dia Europeu dels Parcs, a les Balears no estam per a celebracions
19/05/2012 A partir de l’1 de juny s’haurà de pagar per participar en les activitats divulgatives que organitzen els espais naturals protegits
24/04/2012 Tres reserves marines han deixat de tenir vigilància pròpia en els darrers mesos
10/04/2012 El Centre de Turisme Ornitològic de la Gola roman tancat
28/03/2012 El GOB, molt preocupat pel futur dels nostres espais naturals “protegits”