Protected Areas

Thanks to this good relationship with its natural environment, Minorca was declared Reserve of the Biosphere in 1993 by the U.N.E.S.C.O..

The island has a natural park, five natural Reserves, a marine reserve and nineteen ANEI zones (Natural Areas of Special Interest).

The Reserve of the Biosphere is comprehended in three zones. Its nucleus id the l'Albufera Natural Park at Es Grau, the d'en Colom island and Cape Favaritx as well as their area of influence. The second zone is called the cushioning and is formed by the Natural Areas of Special Interest spreading roughly over a 40% of the island's territory. These natural areas are the following:

North coast of Ciutadella, La Vall, from Ets Alocs to Fornells, La Mola and s'Albufera of Fornells, Bellavista, from Addaia to s'Albufera, s'Albufera d'es Grau, from s'Albufera de La Mola, Cala Sant Esteve-Caló d'en rafalet, from Biniparratx to Llucalari, Son Bou and the Sa Vall Gorge, from Binigaus to Cala Mitjana, south coast of Ciutadella, Son Olivares, Camí de Baix (Degollador), Santa Agueda-s'Enclusa, El Toro and Peynes d'Egipte.

The third area is called the transition part and covers the rest of the island's territory.