S'Albufereta: Natural Reserve

The councillor for Environment, Margalida Rosselló, presented on Wednesday, March 7, the Plan for Organising the Natural Resources (PORN) of "S'Albufereta" that proposes the declaration of the wetlands as a Natural Reserve. The presentation was held at the Alcudia Town Hall with the presence of the mayor, Miquel Ferrer, and the mayor of Pollença, Maria Francisca Ramon, and the general director for Biodiversity, José Manuel Gómez.

S'Albufereta is within the Natural Area of Special Interest known as an ANEI, of this name, in the municipalities of Alcudia and Pollença. The total area of the ANEI is 501.27 hectares and the area of the part to be declared as a Natural Reserve is about 200 hectares. The presented PORN classifies the part of the ANEI as an Interphase Zone that which is not affected by the declaration, surrounding the Natural Reserve.

S'Albufereta is a coastal wetland area, formed by the flooding of land at almost zero level with the sea, with an area that separates it from the sea. It collects water from the streams that end in this area, which is immediately gathered by a complicated system of channels and sluicegates.

S'Albufereta will be the first Natural Reserve of Mallorca. A Natural Reserve is a natural space that is declared to protect biological ecosystems, communities or elements that, because of their rarity, fragility, importance or singularity deserve this special denomination. The Natural Reserve has a higher level of protection than a Natural Park. The Park protects a well preserved area where human and economical activity exists, compatible with the future preservation of the area. Whereas the Reserve establishes an elevated index of protection in areas of very little or no human activity.

Within the area classified as a Natural Reserve, hunting will be forbidden and fishing will be restricted to the beaches and coast. Pasture is admitted for the administration of the vegetation of the reserve and the previously existing agricultural activities. Within the Interphase Area -- the rest of the ANEI surrounding the Natural Reserve limited hunting will be allowed and agriculture to preserve the traditional scenery and surroundings of the protected area will be promoted.

With the incorporation of S'Albufereta, there will be five natural parks administered by the Balearic autonomy, (S'Albufera, Mondragó andy sa Dragonera, on Mallorca, and s'Albufera des Grau on Menorca) and one shared between the CAIB and the Ministry of Environment (Parque Nacional Marítimo-Terrestre del Archipiélago de Cabrera).

More information:
- El GOB felicita el Govern per la presentació del PORN de l'Albufereta (07/03/2001)
- Albufereta: el GOB demana a Medi Ambient que agilitzi la tramitació i la declari Reserva Natural (24/10/2000)
- Legislación ambiental (WebVerd)

Date of publication: 08/03/2001

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