After the Felling at Llorenc Villalonga: City Hall's Planting Plan Under Scrutiny

After the felling at Llorenc Villalonga: City Hall's planting plan under scrutiny

Key question: a calming pill or real rethink?

In the morning a light haze still hangs over Plaza Llorenc Villalonga. A delivery van is parked on the corner, a woman places her coffee cup on the balustrade of the old city wall, seagulls cry near the palms — and in the middle of this familiar scene lies the memory of December: 17 Bellasombra trees were felled, a process that outraged the neighborhood, as reported in Alarm in Palma: Neighborhood Resists Tree Felling on Plaza Llorenç Villalonga. Now the city council announces it will plant 35 new trees within two months. That sounds like reparation. But what is really behind it?

The concrete proposal from the infrastructure department lists seven cypresses, two Chorisia (Ceiba speciosa), eleven fruitless mulberry trees, five olives, seven Schinus terebinthifolia and three holm oaks — alongside the six palms already present. Technicians argued at the time that the felling was necessary for safety reasons; judges agreed with that assessment, as detailed in Dispute over 17 Ombu Trees on Plaza Llorenç Villalonga: Who Decides on Urban Green?. The city speaks of biodiversity and adaptation to the harsh conditions along the former city wall. That is the official position. But the critical question remains: Is that enough to avoid repeating past mistakes?

Critical analysis

At first glance it sticks out: the number 35 instead of 17 sounds generous; but the choice of species decides long-term issues like shade, root growth, maintenance effort and safety. Cypresses and olives fit visually with the old town and are robust. Holm oak is native, slow-growing, but will only provide substantial shade after many years. Chorisia and Schinus originate from overseas; they can be heat- or storm-resistant but bring different requirements (root behaviour, disease risks, non-native status). Fruitless mulberries reduce nuisance from fallen fruit but provide less food for insects and birds than fruiting varieties.

What matters is not only the selection but the planting methodology: planting pits with sufficient soil volume, root barriers at historic walls, a structured irrigation plan for the first years, regular crown maintenance and a clearly allocated budget for the next five to ten years. Without these elements there is a risk that young trees will wither or will have to be removed again for safety reasons in a few years. That was barely mentioned in the public announcement so far.

What is missing from the public discourse

The debate so far has revolved around emotions and law — who was allowed to fell, who failed — and less around the technical and financial details of the re-greening plan. There is a lack of a traceable maintenance agreement, transparent information on the planned size of the saplings (25 L, 100 L, standard trees), details on soil improvement measures and an independent expert opinion on the suitability and risks of the proposed species. Also hardly discussed: a concrete time horizon for irrigation and pruning as well as whether there will be citizen participation in the selection of planting sites.

Everyday scene from Palma

When I stroll through the old town on an early afternoon, I hear the bakery doorbells on Carrer de la Missió, see retirees sitting on a wall and the construction lamp blinking — these are the people who will experience the new row of trees. For them a planting action is not just an ecological decision but a change of their place: less heat in summer, but also new leaves, roots and work for the gardeners. An open sign on site with the planting plan and maintenance schedule would build trust; currently nothing of the sort is posted.

Concrete solutions

1. Transparency: Publish a planting and maintenance catalogue with details on planting sizes, origin of the trees, planting protocol and a ten-year maintenance budget. 2. Technical standards: Use large, well-rootable planting islands, structured soil additives and root barriers along the wall. 3. Irrigation: Temporary drip irrigation for three years, coupled with a monitoring plan for survival rates. 4. Participation: Set up a small citizen jury of local residents, members of the tree association and independent forestry experts to approve the plant list and evaluate it after six months. 5. Long-term service contract: Fixed maintenance intervals with penalties if agreed measures are not carried out. 6. Education: Information boards or QR codes on site explaining origin, benefits and care of the trees — that builds understanding and prevents rumours.

Pointed conclusion

More trees are an opportunity — but without clear rules they remain symbolic. The city offers a number and a species list; the neighborhood demands security, transparency and participation. For the promise not to become a recurring source of anger, the planting plan must be technically well thought out and socially negotiated. Otherwise in a few years there will again be a ladder and a chainsaw, and the air on the plaza will be even thinner than before.