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As we prepare to say goodbye to another year, I would like to address everyone who follows the environmental reality of Menorca and the evolution of the association that I have the honour to chair.

We are closing twelve intense months, in which we have shared emotions and concerns, progress and new threats, but in which we have always felt the strength that comes from bringing together individual energies to promote collective and meaningful initiatives.

I would like to express special thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who make things possible that are hard to imagine. From the weekly volunteers who keep the shop at the Claustre open, to those who collaborate at the plant nursery or lend a hand each week at the Wildlife Recovery Centre, as well as the excellent team that organises leisure activities for young people and the powerful agricultural volunteer days that support farmers through land stewardship agreements.

The different areas of work at GOB are moving forward with strength. The commitment of the people who work professionally within the organisation is evident every time we meet a new challenge. Despite the difficulties arising from current circumstances, the number of members has grown, as has the list of people who wish to receive news directly, our social media following and our material resources.

Working in favour of the environment is not easy when new forces are pushing in the opposite direction. We are concerned about the short-term visions put forward by some public officials, as well as the intention to squeeze Menorca to the last drop of its aquifers. This year, GOB has strengthened its work on territory and the marine environment in order to better face these pressures, dedicating more time and seeking new alliances.

Thanks also go to those who have participated in and made possible the highly visible actions of Via Menorca, and to those who make specific donations to help advance the legal front we are building.

Many thanks as well to the members of the organisation’s Board of Directors and to the donors and sponsors who help us improve.

While we strive to defend the values of this land, we are also promoting alternatives, solutions to environmental problems and new scenarios of hope. In this sense, the Agricultural Stewardship programme is a reference. It makes it possible to find examples that truly reflect economic models compatible with environmental conservation. Many people are working in the countryside to produce healthy food for people and for the planet. Farmers and landowners are becoming beacons that provide light. And the volunteers who collect bioindicators are documenting this process.

At our native plant nursery, thousands of seeds have sprouted. You will find species that live longer and require less water, as well as expert advice and plants adapted to our climate to renew your garden.

Having been able to care for more than a thousand injured wild animals, seeing hundreds of young people discovering the wonders of nature, or witnessing birds returning to farmland because insects have recovered are all factors that fill us with emotion and renew our energy.

We invite you to join these rewarding tasks. There are many ways to participate. We need many people in order to continue working and adapting to the times we live in. Let us make 2026 a period that allows for better actions for Menorca and for the world.

Thank you very much, and may we have a good year.

Margarida Masferrer
President of GOB Menorca