Souvenir Hunters Must Stop Taking Home Natural Treasures Of Menorca
Tourists are taking natural treasures from Menorca as souvenirs [Image by Susmedien from Pixabay]Travelers sometimes have strange ideas about what to take home from Menorca as a souvenir, including natural, and geological materials. Moreover, since 2015, 14 tons of sand, stones and fossils have been seized from tourists at Menorca Airport. Even worse, 2022 alone saw an outrageous 1,083 kg (2,388 lb) confiscated by airport officials.
Tourists steal sand, rocks and fossils from Menorca’s beaches
The Balearic Islands of Menorca is a beautifully scenic destination, with idyllic beaches and coves, and unique geological sites such as Favaritx. While most travelers would be happy to take only photos on their vacation on the island, others want more personal mementos. It has become so bad that La Vanguardia reports that the sheer volume of the thefts now poses a serious threat to the island’s natural heritage.
Rocks are taken as souvenirs [Image courtesy Agencia Menorca Reserva de Biosfera]However, conservation efforts are underway to stop tourists taking these natural souvenirs. Marta Carreras is a technician with the Council of Menorca and spoke of their partnership with the Mestral Association. Basically, they collect the confiscated sand, rocks and fossils at the airport, and then classify them by type and origin. Once complete, the “souvenirs” are returned to their natural habitats. The work is guided by the Geology Centre’s interpretive guidelines that list Menorca’s natural landscapes into five units, based on the geological features and rock color.
Making people aware of the impact
Plastic bottles of sea sand [Image courtesy Agencia Menorca Reserva de Biosfera]Menorca is home to a population of only 100,000 people and the island’s natural beauty is seriously at risk from the actions of the 1.7 million tourists each year.
While 14 tons of geological materials have been seized and returned to the landscapes, Carreras acknowledges that this is only a fraction of the removed materials taken by tourists. The problem is that most tourists, and even residents, are unaware of the significant damage to the environment by their actions.
Due to the widespread nature of the tourists’ actions, local authorities wish to educate the public to prevent more environmental damage. This includes initiatives like environmental training workshops, run by Agusti Rodriguez, a local geologist. Meanwhile, the Mestral Association’s classification projects also play an important role in educating locals and tourists, to preserve Menorca’s geological integrity.
About Menorca
Beach in Menorca [Image by jhill100 from Pixabay]One of Spain’s Balearic Islands, Menorca nestles in the Mediterranean Sea. Meanwhile, the island is a calmer option to its neighbors, Mallorca and Ibiza and is known for its idyllic beaches. Here, miles-long sandy coves overlook craggy, turquoise-watered coves (Calas). Each is backed by lush pine forests. The island’s capital, Mahon, lies on a bluff overlooking a harbor and is filled with Georgian mansions.
Favaritx LIghthouse, Menorca, Balearic Islands, Spain [Image by Michel Bertolotti from Pixabay]Meanwhile, the Favaritx Lighthouse is a popular location for visitors, standing on the Favaritx headland. The building is known for its distinctive white tower and a black spiral line. It is also renowned for its stunningly wild setting. Moreover, the lighthouse is surrounded by imposing slate cliffs in a unique and striking landscape. Regrettably, the unique and fascinating environment attracts tourists who want to take home rocks from the site as souvenirs.
Travelers are urged to take only photos and to leave only footprints as a mark of their visit to Menorca.
Anne Sewell: Anne is a freelance writer and travel writer who has spent much of her life in southern Africa (Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa, and is now living on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain.