The Government opens public consultation on Natura 2000 Management Plan for Menorca’s North Coast

The project is now subject to a public consultation period before its final approval.

The Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, through the Directorate General for Natural Environment and Forest Management, has opened the public consultation period for the Natura 2000 Management Plan for the North Coast of Menorca. The notice was published this Thursday, June 4, in the Official Bulletin of the Balearic Islands (BOIB), announcing the start of this period, during which citizens, organisations, and public administrations can submit contributions before the plan is definitively approved.

This new management instrument covers several protected areas within the Natura 2000 Network located in the north of Menorca: the north coast of Ciutadella, the extension of La Vall, from Els Alocs to Fornells, the marine area of northern Menorca, Cala de Algaiarens, and La Vall.

The Natura 2000 Management Plan for the North Coast of Menorca will serve as the governing framework for these protected areas and will establish conservation objectives and specific measures to ensure the favourable preservation of the natural habitats and species that led to their designation.

According to the Councillor for Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, “this plan represents an important step forward in strengthening the protection of the Natura 2000 sites in northern Menorca and ensuring the conservation of their most valuable habitats and species.”

The councillor emphasised that “the north coast of Menorca contains some of the most unique natural areas in the archipelago. With this instrument, we will have a shared management tool that will allow us to coordinate actions, strengthen conservation, and advance towards the designation of Special Areas of Conservation.”

Furthermore, the approval of the Natura 2000 Management Plan for the North Coast of Menorca will help fulfil a necessary requirement for the currently designated Sites of Community Importance (SCI) to be classified as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), thereby strengthening their level of protection.

The Director General for Natural Environment and Forest Management, Anna Torres, highlighted that “the plan defines specific conservation objectives and measures to ensure the favourable status of the habitats and species that justified the protection of these areas.”

Torres added that “this instrument will provide a unified management framework for the entire Natura 2000 area and strengthen long-term coordination of conservation actions.”

With the publication of the notice in the BOIB, the public consultation phase begins, including hearings for interested parties and consultation with affected administrations, as provided for under the Environmentally Relevant Areas Conservation Law (LECO). Over a two-month period, citizens, organisations, relevant sectors, and public administrations may review the documentation and submit observations, contributions, or objections before final approval.

Finally, Simonet stressed that “public participation is a key tool for improving environmental planning processes and ensuring that decisions enjoy the broadest possible consensus.”