Balearic Islands bring Sa Bastida into public ownership – a gain for Alaró and the Tramuntana

Balearic Islands bring Sa Bastida into public ownership – a gain for Alaró and the Tramuntana

On the edge of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Serra de Tramuntana, where cypresses cast shadows on narrow country tracks in the morning light and an occasional goat disturbs the peace, the Balearic government has taken over the Finca Sa Bastida. For €1.5 million, financed from the Sustainable Tourism Fund, the roughly 72-hectare site becomes public property.

What sounds dry on paper means in practice: rare plant communities, protected habitats and several archaeological sites will now be better safeguarded. Sa Bastida is not in the middle of the tourist hustle, but at a transition familiar to many Mallorcans – walkers, cyclists and those who drive to Alaró for the Sunday market. The decision therefore has a local dimension: it is not only about nature conservation but also about giving back space that the community and visitors can use, similar to Algaida wants to buy Son Reus de Randa and give the island a piece of land back.

The purchase is driven by two main aims. First, the preservation of biodiversity: the slopes host vegetation and animal species that are not found everywhere. Second, opening the area to the public. That does not automatically mean parking lots and commercialisation. Rather, the plan is to work with the municipality of Alaró and local residents to consider uses that respect nature.

What could Sa Bastida look like in the future?

Possible measures include laid-out but narrow paths, information signs about flora, fauna and archaeology, small viewpoints with benches – no major interventions, more like trails that invite lingering. Local educational offerings are conceivable: school classes from the town, guided tours by volunteers and a network of nature friends who help with maintenance. Locally, on the small roads to Alaró, people have already observed neighbours using the area at weekends; a careful opening would therefore recognise this everyday use.

Important is that the next step is not a finished plan but a process. Government, municipality and residents should jointly work out which areas are protected, which are made accessible and how archaeological sites are secured. That may sound tedious, but it is also an opportunity: local needs meet professional conservation expertise – better that than the other way around, as discussed in Expropriation at Castell d'Alaró: End of a Dispute or New Flashpoint?.

What Mallorca gains

More publicly accessible, nature-rich areas strengthen island life. regulars and newcomers experience a different side of Mallorca, away from hotel beds and beach bars, towards dry stone walls, wild herbs and old paths. For Alaró itself, Sa Bastida can be a small benefit: residents will have a place to breathe, and the municipality another element of its cultural and ecological offering.

There is room for ideas: a small visitor centre in the town centre (modest, discreet), working groups for invasive plants, volunteer wildlife surveys or collaborations with universities for archaeological research. And those who wish can enjoy the peace at the weekend – without crowds, with the sound of leaves and the scent of sun-warmed stones.

The mood in Alaró on the morning after the announcement was relaxed: a baker on the Plaça placing ensaïmadas in the display, cyclists preparing for the Coll de Sa Batalla, and older residents discussing the topic at the market. No triumphant shouting, rather a relieved nod: a piece of landscape remains protected, a process similar in public interest to reports such as Expropriation of Alaró Castle: Who Benefits from the Project, and Who Pays the Bill?.

The project is not a quick fix but a small, local promise: more space for nature, more opportunities for quiet visits and respect for historical substance. For the island this means: one of many mosaic pieces to ensure that Mallorca remains livable in the future not only for tourists but especially for those who live here or long for home.

Outlook: The dialogue phase now begins. Anyone who wants to have a say should watch for upcoming public meetings in Alaró – the discussion will be about paths, protection and how to do justice to old stones and new visitors, and residents can consult general information about the town at Alaró on Wikipedia.