Tag Archives: Territory

Roads with a second purpose

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The construction of railways in North America was crucial to the colonisation of territories disputed with Indigenous tribes. The railway line that eventually connected east and west enabled the movement of goods, people and animals. It became one of the key elements in the transformation of those lands—a structural change that meant the definitive colonisation of Indigenous territories.

But there is no need to cross oceans to understand the relationship between infrastructure and its consequences for the places it connects. When land was still being subdivided in the countryside of Menorca, there was always some councillor pushing to pave rural roads in order to facilitate subsequent operations of parcelling and construction.

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Pere Fraga: “The landscape around us is the best school of gardening”

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We speak with Pere Fraga i Arguimbau, botanist and expert in the flora of Menorca. Fraga is one of the co-authors of the Manual de jardineria sostenible i amb planta autòctona, per a una illa com Menorca (Sustainable Gardening and Native Plants Manual for an island such as Menorca), the latest publication by GOB Menorca, recently presented in Maó, Ferreries, and Ciutadella, and one of the organization’s highlighted new releases this Sant Jordi. We take this opportunity to talk about the manual and to ask him for some basic recommendations on how to apply the principles of sustainable gardening to home gardens and terraces.

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Renewable energies (2): Zoning and energy sovereignty

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This note is the second part of a reflection on the relationship between renewable energy and land use. It describes the situation in Menorca, which can be very different from other islands as well as from mainland Spain. For this reason, it is not appropriate to assume that what happens elsewhere is being replicated here, because that is not the case.

Over the past 20 years, several wind energy projects have been proposed in Menorca but have been halted for environmental reasons. At the same time, significant progress has been made in zoning suitable areas for photovoltaic energy, ensuring that spaces with environmental or landscape protection status are not considered suitable.

Anyone interested in understanding the differences and criteria applied in Menorca is encouraged to read the full text presented here.

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Renewable energies and territory: an ongoing debate (1)

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The development of solar parks near Sant Climent and Es Mercadal has once again reopened the debate between renewable energy and land use. This is an issue that is never easy to resolve wherever it arises, but it must be addressed calmly if a responsible approach is to be taken. Menorca has already experienced similar episodes in the past.

The occupation of rural land for energy production inevitably generates controversy, especially in a territory where this issue is particularly sensitive, as has repeatedly been shown on the island. However, what is happening in Menorca should not be confused with the clear environmental damage seen in some areas of mainland Spain, nor should it be assumed that rooftop solar alone can deliver the energy transition. The reality is more complex.

This note, together with a following one, presents the position and arguments of the environmental organisation GOB.

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Shooting at the islets

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The Partit Popular has presented an initiative in the Balearic Parliament to allow hunting on islets, ravines and inland cliffs. The proposal amends the Menorca Biosphere Reserve Law and removes the existing ban on hunting in these areas.

GOB Menorca wishes to express its rejection of this amendment, put forward by the Menorcan MP Jordi López, because these areas are considered to be of the highest environmental value. Three out of every four hectares of Menorca are already designated as hunting grounds.

 

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More than 100 educational centres in the Balearic Islands join GOB’s call for a fair school transport fare

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The call made by GOB last week to demand fair school transport fares has already received the support of more than one hundred educational centres in Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza, as well as more than a dozen associations of headteachers, families and trade unions. Support has continued to grow over the past few days, highlighting the increasing scale of a problem that has affected the entire educational community for years.

The rise in transport costs for educational outings is a recurring situation every year, especially with the arrival of the tourist season, when transport companies prioritise more profitable services linked to tourism. This year, the situation has been further aggravated by the increase in fuel prices, which has pushed already high costs even higher.

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June 13 | Via Menorca – Save the date

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On Saturday, June 13, the Via Menorca campaign is calling a protest action to protect the territory and its inhabitants. After two years of mobilizations, a third season begins, pointing out the course Menorca is taking. Save the date to take part.

A growing buzz is running through the island. The discomfort of the population and natural environments is increasing. It is a call for self-protection, a cry for help in the face of ever-increasing tourist pressure that generates significant impacts on the territory and daily life.

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The cross-cutting issue

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Spring has begun, leaving behind meetings, conferences, studies and debates on important issues in Menorca. Menorca’s winter brings a remarkably active pace of events that encourage reflection and analysis. And in all these initiatives, when one takes a moment to think, a common factor emerges—one that runs through all these issues and fills them with a sense of concern.

We struggle to find solutions for aquifer management, access to housing, waste reduction and recycling, beach overcrowding, and the gradual loss of purchasing power.

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Lack of control in the dredging of the Port of Ciutadella

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Ports de the Balearic Islands has carried out dredging in the inner area of the port without measures to prevent the dispersion of silt in the water. GOB wants to know which environmental precautions have been taken to ensure that no further contamination occurs and where the extracted sediments will end up.

Port sediments are likely to be contaminated. These are areas of intensive use, where paints, fuel oils, and various discharges often end up being deposited on the seabed.

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GOB sections demand a fair fare for school transport

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In recent years, students’ right to take part in activities outside the classroom has been facing an obstacle as unexpected as it is insurmountable: the prohibitive cost of discretionary transport services.

Far from being a luxury, school trips are fundamental pedagogical tools and form part of the comprehensive development of the educational curriculum. It must be explicitly acknowledged that these activities are part of the right to education with equal opportunities and cannot be considered optional complementary activities. In fact, for many children, these excursions represent the only opportunity to get to know their natural surroundings, as their daily lives are confined to city streets or, worse still, to the walls of their homes.

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