40 million to protect the coast

PALMA
THE Balearic Minister for the Environment, Miquel Angel Grimalt, yesterday announced that over the next four years, 40 million euros is going to be spent on the purchase of important coastal properties as part of the new government's plans to protect the Balearic coastline from further development and degradation.

He announced this at a press conference in Palma for the inauguration of the seminar organised by the Biodiversity Foundation, which is part of the Ministry for the Environment, and the International University Menendez Pelayo (UIMP) one of the organisations which has moved into the new environmental and cultural heritage centre which was inaugurated on Monday night on the refurbished and restored rural Raixa estate. Grimalt revealed that at least 12 million euros, which could be varied depending on the agreements reached with the owners of the estates involved in the process which, will be provided by central government.

However, the proceedings for the purchase of the fincas “are relatively slow” due to the fact that the Spanish General Administration has to have guarantees to buy the land, both from the point of view of the availability of resources “and the fixing of valuations”, so that its price will fit with the amount which the State can pay.

Grimalt said that the intention of the Balearic Government is to increase the network of natural spaces “always assuming we have the agreement of the owners”, and added that the Balearic Government advocates formulas such as grants and other financial incentives for these activities which will help the owners to offset the cost of the maintenance of the fincas which are integrated into the network of protected spaces.

With regard to this, Grimalt explained that the islands have a total of 94'000 hectares of protected land and 34'000 hectares of protected marine resources.

INTENTION
He also declared his intention that the management of Cabrera Natural Park will finally be handed over to the Balearic Government.
The strict controls of recreational vessels in Cabrera waters was praised by La Caixa's team of marine biologists which is currently studying Balearic waters.

As reported in yesterday's Bulletin, according to a new noise map of Majorcan waters, Cabrera waters are the quietest and therefore pose the lowest threat to marine life in the area - unlike the Bay of Palma.

Finally, Grimalt said that the Balearic Government was disposed to invest further in coastal areas to “recover” protected spaces and also declared his intention to collaborate with the Spanish Ministry for the Environment on all possible occasions.