Introduction: A Festival Without Authorization or Environmental Evaluation
The Reggaeton Beach Festival Mallorca 2024, scheduled for July, has been promoted without the authorization of the Santa Margalida City Council or the mandatory environmental reports from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment.
Irregularities in the Previous Edition
In 2023, the festival was held on a plot adjacent to the Son Real protected natural area, a space protected by the Natura 2000 Network and the Tengant Peninsula Natural Park.
Despite the objections of the Ministry and an unfavorable municipal legal report, the City Council authorized the event, which caused a series of irregularities and violations.
Acoustic Impact: Excessive Levels and Lack of Regulation
An acoustic assessment report revealed that noise levels during the festival exceeded legal limits in residential areas and within the protected area.
Monitoring stations within the protected area recorded even higher noise levels, but the Ministry has not established noise limits for natural spaces, leaving them unprotected.
Impact on Wildlife: Displacement and Mortality
The GOB (Balearic Ornithology and Nature Defense Group) warns that excessive noise can displace birds, especially vulnerable species during the breeding season.
Breeding species in the area include sebel·lí, tiruril·lo camanegre, searcheret coallarg, searcheret roig, cucullada and terrolot, some of which are facing declining population trends.
GOB Demands: Measures to Protect the Environment
The GOB has requested the Ministry to:
– Suspend the marketing of the festival until the necessary authorizations and environmental evaluations are obtained.
– Carry out an appropriate impact assessment on Natura 2000 protected areas.
– Limit noise levels to the maximum permitted for areas with special acoustic protection, such as Natura 2000 sites.
– Consider relocating the festival if acceptable noise levels are not feasible at the current location.
Conclusion: Inadequate Location and Unacceptable Impact
The GOB maintains that the festival’s proximity to the Son Real protected area makes it an unsuitable location.
The excessive acoustic impact and lack of protection for wildlife make holding the festival at this location unacceptable.
The GOB urges the authorities to take measures to protect the environment and ensure that future events do not compromise the integrity of Mallorca’s protected natural spaces.