Conservation groups protest the City Council's decision to cut down the bellasombra trees in Calatrava

PalmConservation organizations such as Palma XXI and GOB will not attend the meeting of the Municipal Climate Cycle Commission as a gesture of protest against the destruction of the arboreal group of the bellasombras of CalatravaPalma XXI considers this action to be "an unprecedented act of extreme violence" against Palma's natural and urban heritage, and laden with "deeply worrying symbolism, absolutely incompatible" with the democratic, environmental, and cultural values ​​that should guide public action. GOB Mallorca will also not attend the meeting of the Municipal Climate Cycle Commission, thus joining the protest announced by other entities, such as Palma XXI, against the destruction of the Bellaombras de la Calatrava woodland. GOB sources consider this action to be "an extremely serious and absolutely unjustifiable act," from an environmental, heritage, and social perspective. "We are facing a direct attack against Palma's natural and urban heritage, carried out with a violence incompatible with the democratic, environmental, and cultural values ​​that should guide any public action, especially in the context of a declared climate crisis," they explained.

According to Palma XXI, "the destruction of these emblematic trees has generated considerable shock among citizens, both because of the irreparable damage caused and because of the message conveyed by such an intervention in the context of a climate crisis and environmental emergency." For all these reasons, Palma XXI is calling on the Palma City Council to act immediately to assume responsibility, provide clear explanations, and undertake concrete actions to repair—as far as possible—the damage caused, as well as "repair the tremendously negative image" that this action has projected onto the city.

For its part, MÁS per Palma is demanding the immediate resignation of Belén Soto, Palma City Council's Infrastructure Councillor, for her "disastrous management" of the felling of the beautiful shade trees in Plaça de Llorenç Villalonga. "When the Infrastructure Councillor treats trees as a problem to be eliminated and not as heritage to be protected, we are not dealing with a technical issue, but a political one," stated MÁS per Palma councillor Miquel Àngel Contreras. "This felling is not an isolated incident: it is the result of poor policy, and someone has to take responsibility," he added.