New Green for Plaça Llorenç Villalonga — Opportunity or Patchwork?

New Green for Plaça Llorenç Villalonga — Opportunity or Patchwork?

City wants to plant, residents demand clear commitments

How can new, lasting greenery be created on Plaça Llorenç Villalonga — without creating new problems? That is the guiding question that has been in the air since the removal of the diseased ombu trees in the neighbourhood (see Dispute over 17 Ombu Trees on Plaza Llorenç Villalonga: Who Decides on Urban Green?). The city of Palma has announced plans to plant olive trees, cypresses and mulberries by the end of March and has offered to seek solutions in dialogue with residents and citizens' initiatives.

Anyone who walks past the square in the morning knows the scene: delivery scooters hum, an elderly woman sits on a bench feeding a pigeon, children jump at the curbstones, and the smell of kiosk rolls mixes with the cold February wind. The once-dense canopy of ombu trees is missing (read reporting on residents' resistance in Alarm in Palma: Neighborhood Resists Tree Felling on Plaza Llorenç Villalonga). The feeling of emptiness is not only visual — many people also associate it with a lack of information and participation.

The proposed species — olives, cypresses, mulberries — sound sensible on paper: more robust plants, partly drought-tolerant and typical for our island. At the same time, questions remain that are rarely answered in public debate. Which specific varieties will be planted? Will sufficiently large, already established trees be used or seedlings that will only provide shade in years to come? How will soil and root conditions be prepared so that young trees do not become stuck in broken pavement material? Who will bear the maintenance costs and how will watering be handled when the summer heat returns?

A reality check shows: a simple replanting is not enough to secure urban greenery in the long term. Trees need professionally dug planting pits, rooting space, regular pruning and adequate water supply. In recent years on Mallorca many new plantings have failed because irrigation and follow-up measures were insufficient. See the example of larger projects and their maintenance challenges in Paseo Marítimo: Palma's new green oasis — but who will maintain it?. If the city treats the problem only as a short-term "planting project", there is a high risk that in a few years there will be bare areas again and the discussion will start over.

What is often missing in the public discourse: concrete timelines, transparent cost breakdowns and a clear responsibility for aftercare. Ecological questions are also rarely addressed. Biodiversity works better with a mix of native shrubs, flowering plants and trees — not just a row of identical specimens. Fruit trees like mulberries are a good step if the species fit the region and maintenance is secured.

Practical proposals that should be on the table now: first, a planting and maintenance pact with clear responsibilities — city gardeners, the district and a residents' group share tasks and costs; second, at least two years of guaranteed watering from municipal resources or secured shares from rainwater reservoirs; third, use of larger, well-rooted trees where immediate shade is needed and complementary shrubs for biodiversity; fourth, technical measures such as root collars and resilient planting substrates so roots do not later damage sidewalks; fifth, transparent communication: planting plan, site map and maintenance status publicly accessible.

Concrete actions for the neighbourhood could increase acceptance: community planting days, sponsorships for individual trees, small information boards about species and care. Those who are involved are more likely to protect and care for the trees — and that matters on Plaça Llorenç Villalonga because the memory of the abrupt removals is still fresh.

The city's proposal to seek solutions in dialogue is a good approach. What will be decisive is how binding that dialogue is conducted. An open meeting without clear agreements will do little to ease the protest sentiment. A moderated process with a timeline, recorded outcomes and quick interim steps would be better — for example initial soil tests and a trial planting in one corner of the square.

Conclusion: The planned olives, cypresses and mulberries offer a chance not only to green the square but to make it more resilient and liveable. But planting alone is not enough. If people in Palma want trees to really grow big and provide shade, maintenance and neighbourhood participation must be organised now. Otherwise the same spectacle of bare squares and fresh protests threatens — and nobody in this small Mediterranean city can afford that.