Marcus Cooper and Joan Toni Moreno Crown Sa Dragonera in Commemoration of Its 30th Anniversary

The Council of Mallorca has begun the celebration activities for the 30th anniversary of the designation of Sa Dragonera as a natural park with a commemorative activity: the raising of two banners at the na Miranda viewpoint, located on the island itself. This milestone serves to remember and exalt the area for its environmental and landscape values.

The President of the Council of Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, the Environment, Rural Affairs, and Sports Councilor, Pedro Bestard, and the Mayor of Andratx, Estefanía Gonzalvo, raised the flags that were brought to the island by canoe by Mallorcan kayakers, Marcus Cooper and Joan Toni Moreno. They were accompanied by the island directors, Lluis Rubí and Toni Prats, and the Environment Councilor of Andratx, Antoni Nicolau.

The activity began early in the morning, with the arrival at the Puerto de Andratx Sailing Club of sixth-grade children from the CEIP Els Molins school in s’Arracó, where they engaged in an environmental and recreational activity. They were accompanied by the two Olympic kayakers, who answered many questions from the children.

From there, the famous sailboat Rafael Verdera picked up the children and authorities and transported them along the same route as the kayakers to the island. Both Cooper and Moreno, carried the two banners by canoe in the final stretch, ultimately crowning the island with them.

We go back to 1987, when the Council of Mallorca purchased the island of Sa Dragonera, located at the western end of Mallorca. Later, in 1995, the Government of the Balearic Islands, through Decree 7/1995, of January 26, declared it a natural park, along with the islands of Es Pantaleu and Sa Mitjana, securing the conservation of its rich biodiversity and scenic beauty for future generations.

The Sa Dragonera Natural Park currently has a protected area of 274 hectares on land. Additionally, other community protection figures are integrated, such as the Natura 2000 Network, due to the prominent biodiversity of species. Protection of the submerged facade has also been reinforced, both in the internal waters and the external waters surrounding the island, and it has been declared a marine reserve.

Among the most important historical milestones in these three decades of the Sa Dragonera Natural Park are the numerous studies and monitoring of protected species carried out, such as the marine falcon or the endemic lizards that inhabit the island.

Moreover, this year a new bird observatory will be launched and the na Miranda viewpoint will be conditioned, a place of great interest for enjoying the views of the Sa Dragonera channel. The reconstruction of the na Miranda viewpoint is an interesting project for visitors to the island, as it is one of the most visited areas, due to its proximity to Cala en Lledó and its spectacular panoramic views of the island of Mallorca.