Where Is My Tree? Pere Garau Residents Highlight Gaps in Urban Greenery

Gaps Instead of Foliage: Pere Garau Goes Mobile

When you walk today along Calle Reyes Católicos, it is noticeable: at many corners there isn’t just a tree missing, but an entire stretch of shade. A group from the neighborhood has now drawn maps, collected photos, and placed cardboard trees on the bare tree pits — small yet unmistakable markers.

The initiative is called “Pere Garau saludable” and acts a bit like a neighborhood watchdog against forgetting: trash, broken sidewalks, graffiti — the people here know this well. In recent months they have brought the issue of urban greenery to the forefront. Their result may seem unassuming, yet is remarkable: numerous former planting sites are simply empty.

What the neighbors have found

In a map they presented, the missing trees are marked, along with photos of former avenues and notes on the condition of remaining trees. According to them, the number of trees in Pere Garau has declined significantly in about 15 years — due to traffic developments, renovations, and sometimes simply long neglect.

“We need more shade,” says a resident who drinks coffee at the market around 8 a.m. and watches temperatures and noise rise. This is not purely an aesthetic concern: less urban greenery means higher temperatures on sunny days, less protection against dust and noise, and less space for encounters on the street.

The form of protest: cardboard trees and conversations

The cardboard trees are symbols and conversation starters at the same time. Residents report that in many places young saplings disappeared before they could grow. In other places trees were felled with the justification that they posed a danger; new plantings often did not follow.

It is also worrying that some free tree pits were quickly concreted over or flooded — practical for a delivery van, bad for the air in the neighborhood.

What is now demanded

The initiative calls for a clear plan: renew existing tree pits, plant more resilient Mediterranean species, regular maintenance and neighborhood involvement. It also proposes setting binding replantings for all upcoming street works.

Behind the scenes, similar debates are unfolding: in Son Oliva several large trees recently fell, and in Calle Indústria iconic pines disappeared. Experience shows: without bottom-up pressure, many gaps stay empty for years.

A date for all who want to participate

For those who want to participate: “Pere Garau saludable” invites on October 18 at 7:00 p.m. to a meeting at the Market Hall. It is about concrete places, maintenance sponsorships and a joint list of tree species that can really thrive here. A small note: bring a water bottle — shade is scarce and the conversation could get heated.

Short outlook: City trees are not a luxury. They are part of the infrastructure — like streetlights or trash bins. Without them Palma's street canyons will become warmer, louder and less comfortable in the long run. We feel it when we ride to work in the morning or take children to school.