The Biodiversity Foundation, in its capacity as co-owner with the Consell de Mallorca of the Raixa Estate, located in the municipality of Bunyola, continues with the work of recovery and enhancement of the natural and architectural heritage of the estate.

The fundamental reason why the estate has not opened its doors to citizens is that the necessary licenses and authorizations have not yet been obtained, despite the fact that the requirements of the different administrations have been fulfilled, within the established deadlines.

These authorisations began to be requested before the start of the rehabilitation works, in July 2005, from the competent authorities: the municipality of Bunyola, the Consell de Mallorca and the Balearic Government. The licence to carry out the electrical installation works was applied for in June 2008 and obtained in April 2009. The permit for the facilities of the activity was processed in July 2008, but has not been granted to date. According to current legislation, it is essential to previously grant this permit in order to start the application procedures for the opening license necessary for the public use of the property.

In this sense, the Biodiversity Foundation had planned to carry out different activities throughout 2009 but, as the opening to the public has not yet been authorised, they have had to be postponed or scheduled in other centres. For example, the Summer Course scheduled for the month of July has been moved to the facilities of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), where it will take place on the same dates. The “Training Course on the Botanical, Landscape, Architectural and Historical Environment of the Raixa Estate”, as well as the exhibitions “The Writing of the Animals” and “Images of Biodiversity” have had to be postponed.

In addition, the Foundation has scrupulously fulfilled its investment commitments in relation to the rehabilitation of the main building, with a surface area of 3,500 square metres.

It is planned to continue this year with the restoration actions of the rest of the buildings on the estate, which are pending definition, with the Consell de Mallorca, in the Joint Commission that manages the property. In addition, the tasks of equipping the building continue (acquisition of furniture, installation of computer, electronic and audiovisual systems, etc.) that will allow its public use. The competitions called for this purpose were published last May and will be resolved in the current month. Also, during the month of May, a public tender was called for the contracting of the removal of the trees felled by the gales that have hit the area during the last winter. Today the opening of the corresponding tenders has been held and it is expected that the work will begin during this month.

The objective of the Biodiversity Foundation is that Mallorcans can visit Raixa from next autumn. To achieve this, active cooperation with all the island’s public administrations is necessary.