Tag Archives: Land stewardship

Fig trees for sustainable agricultural diversification

On Sunday 21 October a group of more than twenty volunteers took part on a working day of planting fig trees in the Torralbet farm, near Ciutadella. This farm has autochthonous cattle, and makes, amongst other products, cheese known as “Tres Tocs” from a mixture of milk from sheep, goats and cows. In order to help in product diversification the GOB volunteers planted 15 fig trees of different varieties. To enable them to grow strongly during their first years, a fence was built round each of them as protection from cattle and other animals. Continue reading Fig trees for sustainable agricultural diversification →

Saturday 6 October, volunteer to get rid of invasive plants in Fornells

This Saturday, 6 October, at 10 am GOB is organizing a working day eliminating invasive plants in the Fornells area. For some time now gardening with exotic plants has given rise to some of the species colonising coastal places so becoming invasive. It is precisely here, along the coast, that they have threatened the endemic vegetation (species whose distribution becomes so reduced that they are sometimes the only ones left in the world) that grows on our island. These areas were little frequented before the tourist boom so that the coast acted as a refuge for some determined species that became highly adapted to the conditions of wind, salt and the scarcity of fresh water. Continue reading Saturday 6 October, volunteer to get rid of invasive plants in Fornells →

Sunday 19 August – a tasting of melon at the Mahon farmers market

Watermelon and melon are typical summer fruits. Sweet, juicy and refreshing they are perfect on a hot day. This Sunday, 19 August, between 11.30 and 12.30 there is an opportunity to taste those grown on the farms signed up to the Land Stewardship Scheme at the Farmers Market in the Plaça Reial, Mahon.

The Farmers Market has products from farms that have an endorsement of good practice, because they have ecological certification or have an agreement with the Land Stewardship Scheme, or because as farmers, they have contracted to fulfil certain agrarian obligations with the Reserve of the Biosphere. This summer they have organised different activities to invigorate the market and bring greater awareness to the public of produce grown with a commitment to good practice.

Es Capell de Ferro and Santo Domingo are two of the farms that have signed up to the Land Stewardship scheme and have ecological certification and whose stalls are at the market place each Sunday. Sausages, greens and fruit are not only food for people but their growth also nourish the natural values of the island. You can taste sandia and melons from these farms.

This activity is part of the program of the Land Stewardship Scheme developed by GOB and has the help of the Island Governing Council and the Mahon Town Hall.

A chat with Carlos Coll Pons, Chairman of GOB

[Translation of the post in isoladiminorca.com by Gloria Vanni]

When chance becomes necessity.

My connection with Carlos Coll Pons happened by chance, when I felt the need to delve into some of the reasons behind my choice to live in Menorca. Nature, climate, sea, quality of life, sustainability, protected environment are the factors that made me love it at first sight. My love then increased but you get to a point where you need other confirmations and answers. Continue reading A chat with Carlos Coll Pons, Chairman of GOB →

Urban speculation disguised for rural tourism

Menorca is seeing an avalanche of projects theoretically orientated towards a new offer of tourist accommodation in the countryside. But some of these enterprises simply seem to be looking for the old economic recipe: speculative property development. There are cases where it is easy to see through their proposals. Continue reading Urban speculation disguised for rural tourism →