70 Trees Removed on Avenida Jaume I: What's Happening in Santa Ponça?

70 Trees Removed on Avenida Jaume I: What's Happening in Santa Ponça?

Key question: Does an alleged "beautification" have to cost so many trees — or is something going wrong here?

On Thursday, October 1, the excavators will roll into Santa Ponça. The municipality of Calvia speaks of the final of three beautification phases on Avenida Jaume I. In fact, around 70 trees and old street lamps are to be removed first (Palma replaces over 400 streetlights in Son Oliva – Saving, Seeing, Disturbing?). From October 7 a section of the road will be closed; according to the municipality the project should be completed by Easter 2027. Funders: a total of 5.3 million euros, Calvia pays 3.3 million, the rest comes from the Balearic government.

The raw numbers sound tangible: 70 trees removed, in the end 124 new trees planted. At first glance a net gain. But the arithmetic is not automatically convincing. So the question up front: Are environmental, traffic and residents' interests being sensibly weighed here — or are excavators rushing to fix what was already criticized?

What stands out: In recent years there have been repeated complaints about road repairs on Avenida Jaume I. Residents and business owners — many of them German-speaking, some with long-standing ties to the street, including local real estate companies — have repeatedly reacted with anger. This echoes disputes such as Dispute over 17 Ombu Trees on Plaza Llorenç Villalonga: Who Decides on Urban Green?. Experiences from previous construction sites therefore shape expectations: concern about noise, dirt, and restrictions for customers and local traffic.

Critical analysis: The municipality provides numbers, not a concrete tree plan. Which species will be removed? Are they native or ornamental plantings? Will larger specimens be transplanted or simply felled? The announcement to plant 124 new trees later sounds positive — but without information on species, a maintenance concept and an irrigation plan the promise remains vague. New trees need years to provide shade and promote biodiversity. What remains in the meantime?

Another open issue is traffic. Avenida Jaume I is an important connection in the town. A closure from October 7 raises questions about detours, bus routes and delivery traffic. Are there coordinated alternative routes? Have taxi and emergency access been planned for? Residents who open their small shops in the morning fear losing customers if the closure is poorly communicated.

What is missing from the public discourse: transparency on the details. A photo with the mayor is not enough. What is missing is a complete tree register, environmental impact reports, information on the timeline for each construction phase, and a long-term maintenance budget for the newly planted trees. I also miss independent monitoring, for example by a regional environmental agency, to check compliance with conditions; similar concerns about trust and secret removals were raised in When Palma's Trees Fall Silent: Felled Pines and Lost Trust.

A everyday scene: In the late afternoon an elderly woman stands with her shopping basket in front of the small supermarket on the avenue. The smell of freshly ground beans comes from the corner café, children play on the pavement. When in a few days the first markings appear and the streetlights are dismantled, these things will be disturbed. Craftsmen, taxi drivers and the pensioners who play cards on the bench are the ones who feel everyday life — not the numbers in a press release.

Concrete solutions the municipality could deliver immediately:

1) Publication of a tree register: which trees stand where, age, health status, and whether they are transplantable (see local activism in Where is my tree? Pere Garau marks the gaps in urban greenery).

2) Species list for the 124 new trees plus a maintenance and irrigation concept for at least five years. Prefer near-natural, drought-tolerant species; avoid short-lived ornamental mixes.

3) Phasing plan for closures with clear detour routes, timetables for affected bus lines and information for businesses.

4) Involvement of residents: two public meetings and a digital platform where complaints are documented and answered.

5) External control: environmental experts should review the proceedings and publish the results.

These measures are not tick-box exercises. They prevent mistakes, save money and reduce conflict. Anyone who has experienced how a poorly planned road construction site paralyses a neighbourhood's summer knows: communication costs less than damage to reputation and costly corrections.

My pointed conclusion: The numbers — 70 removed, 124 new, 5.3 million euros — tell only part of the story. Santa Ponça needs a construction phase that is executed properly and preserves local quality of life. If the municipality now delivers more than dates and photos, frustration can turn into benefit. Otherwise there will be neatly polished paving stones with little shade and even more grumbling on the bench in front of the supermarket.