The Formentera Office of Environment (Conselleria de Medi Ambient, CMAF) is pleased to report that 24 January marked the start of a push to remove pine processionary nests. Two employees have been recruited to oversee the drive, which will involve 15 days of operations.

In the first two weeks 5,454 nests were removed by hand. Operations have centred on public, urban areas and, in particular, near the cemetery and hospital in Sant Francesc.

Initially €7,000 was set aside for the initiative, but the pest is now present across a considerably larger expanse of Formentera, making budget and timeline increases likely. Of 4,000 cartridges supplied by the Balearic Ministry of Environment and Territory, over 6,500 are expected to arrive in the next few days and will be used to destroy nests located on higher up branches. The Consell de Formentera relies on the invaluable help of local hunting clubs to destroy the nests.

Antoni Tur, Councillor of the Environment, welcomed the collaboration of "land owners near forests and other residents to locate and combat this pest". Tur pointed out that the CMAF provides information and material to individuals to remove processionary nests. Last year the Consell acquired two telescopic scissors to reach nests as high as six metres from the ground, and this year has acquired two more. Islanders can request to borrow the scissors at no cost by contacting the CMAF.

'No time to let our guard down'

Councillor Tur encouraged the Balearic Healthy Forests Service "not to lower their guard" in the effort to curb the pest and to continue with helicopter dustings of the kurstaki variety of Bacillus thuringiensis. "We are far from eliminating this pest, and we think it should be a priority for the Balearic government", said Tur.

For more information contact the CMAF at Carrer Mallorca, 15 (first floor), Sant Ferran de ses Roques, by calling 971 32 12 10 (ext. 1), or by email at mediambient@conselldeformentera.cat. The Healthy Forests Service web site is available here, by telephone at 971 17 66 66 or by e-mail at sanitatforestal@ caib.es.

7 February 2022
Communications Office
Consell Insular de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Culture is pleased to announce that 7 to 19 February, the Sala d'Exposicions "Ajuntament Vell" will host the group exhibition Els ODS dels Baleàrics.

This year work will be shown by 18 Mediterranean artists – 17 drew inspiration from the sustainable development goals (ODS derives from objectius de desenvolupament sostenible), and one, Francesc Ramis, presents a synthesis of all the goals. The goals are part of the 2030 agenda for a better world.

This exhibition is the third in the series Els Baleàrics, which is curated by Antonio Torres Martorell and sponsored by the regional ministry of European funding, Universities and Culture and Balearia Foundation. The idea is to disseminate the work of Formentera artists; Enric Riera participated in 2018, Mar Ample joins the initiative in 2022. Featured artists also include Ibizan artists Bonet Vallribera, Julia Fragua and Miguel Ángel García López.

Els ODS dels Baleàrics has already been displayed elsewhere in the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community. After Formentera, the show will conclude with a stop in Barcelona.

Doors open at 6.00pm on Monday 7 February. The "Ajuntament Vell" gallery is open 11.00am to 2.00pm and 6.00pm to 8.00pm, Monday to Saturday. The gallery closes on Sundays, Monday mornings and holidays.

4 February 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera