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In February 2021, five years ago now, three environmental organisations working in the Balearic Islands, two of them focused on Menorca, formally requested that the Island Council modify a section of the Camí de Cavalls that crosses the middle of the former salt flats of Addaia. These organisations are GOB, Societat Ornitològica de Menorca (SOM) and Societat Espanyola d’Ornitologia (SEO-Virot Balears).

The letter recalled the protection figures that apply to this area: Natural Park, ANEI with a high level of protection and the Natura 2000 Network (SCI and SPA). This protection is due to its great landscape and environmental value.

It is an area of shallow brackish waters, not very common on the island, rich from an ethnological point of view and hosting biodiversity of great interest, especially in ornithological terms. Species such as osprey, sandpipers, cormorants, ducks, herons, grebes and black-winged stilts can be seen here, and it is a stopover site for hundreds of migratory birds.

For some time, a conflict has been identified between this site and the passage of people along the Camí de Cavalls, which crosses the salt flats. High visitor pressure is incompatible with the proper conservation of this space, and this has been documented in various research works.

However, institutional inaction has meant that a conflict which could be avoided by rerouting the path continues.

For these reasons, the organisations suggested two alternative routes: one more definitive option that would require more time, and a provisional one that would be easy to implement.

The definitive option would move the route outside the floodable area, onto the property of s’Hort des Lleó. This proposal would most effectively reduce the current impacts constantly caused by noise, uncontrolled domestic animals or simply human presence.

Meanwhile, given the urgency of the case, a provisional route was also proposed. This would not require land acquisition or expropriation, and would at least reduce the problem by following the boundary between properties.

Five years have passed since then and no solution has been implemented. Addaia remains a high-value natural area constantly affected by an itinerary that requires rerouting.

Route changes can be made on the Camí de Cavalls. Several were made to the original itinerary because they passed next to houses. It has also recently been confirmed that this is possible, as shown by the section that coincides with the road from Maó to Sa Mesquida.

GOB, SOM and SEO-Virot Balears are calling for urgent attention to this case. There has been more than enough time to act. The issue should not be left in a drawer again.