Field Trip – Mallorca – 25-27 November 2023
The partners of P.RO.GRE.S.S. European project (Proactive Green Communities and Storytellers for Natural Capital Safeguarding) visited Sa Dragonera Natural Park, the site chosen by the Consell de Mallorca to carry out the PRO.GRE.S.S. project activities.
On Monday 25th September, the Italian, French and Greek delegations were introduced to the participatory process that the Maritime Museum of Mallorca is undertaking in order to become a dynamic, close and open space that incorporates the participation and proposals of the local community. Afterwards, partners and locals took part in a workshop on responsible fishing, which highlighted the importance of knowing seasonal fish, kinds of fishing gear and how to interpret the
information displayed in the labels at the fish market. The day ended with a show cooking and tasting of a local traditional fish dish. On Tuesday, P.RO.GRE.S.S partners and the local community visited Sa Dragonera Natural Park for
a guided walk to the Tramuntana lighthouse. The tour was led by an old lighthouse keeper who told the participants stories and secrets about the island and its three lighthouses. The day ended with a boat trip around the island to learn more about the marine reserve and the importance of this protected status which allows for greater regulation to achieve more sustainable fishing.
The field trip ended on Wednesday with a guided tour of Sant Elm castle. Locals and European partners discovered the historical and cultural links between the small village of Sant Elm and the rest of the Mediterranean region.
For the organisation of the whole event, Consell de Mallorca has been supported by the Maritime Museum of Mallorca, the Federation of Fishing Guilds of the Balearic Islands, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands, the Save the Med Foundation and the Town Hall of Andratx. During this three-day meeting, around 60 people from the local community and PROGRESS partners were able to share time and activities aimed at getting to know the cultural and environmental heritage associated with the Sa Dragonera Natural Park. These activities facilitated the exchange of experiences and proposals in the search for new solutions to the climate challenges faced by European citizens.
Mrs Pilar Gómez, director of Sa Dragonera Natural Park, expressed her satisfaction for the high level of participation from both partners and local community, stating that “in these days we have realised that the Mediterranean Sea has cultural and environmental similarities with all the countries involved in the PROGRESS project. And in a scenario of environmental crisis, it is necessary to weave networks of citizens who can propose solutions to the new challenges”.
The PRO.GRE.S.S. project is funded by the European Union through the Citizenship, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV). The main objective of the project is to encourage the participation of local communities, especially rural areas, in European Union issues related to the environment, the climate change, the landscape and the natural heritage conservation in protected areas. To achieve
this aim, partners propose activities to inform, encourage and arouse the curiosity of different sectors of the local population (children, young people, older people…) about these issues.
Since the beginning of the project, four international conferences have been held to discuss topics such as climate change, biodiversity, environmentalism, natural and cultural heritage, etc. Three more conferences are planned in Mallorca: one in November 2023, focused on the historical and cultural heritage of Sa Dragonera, and two more in 2024. These conferences wil be offered in person or online.
