The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has recently awarded the maintenance service contracts for trees, palm trees, gardening and cliffs in the port of Maó. UTE Podas Puerto Maó (Conrado-Urbient) will be in charge of maintaining the trees, palm trees, planters and smaller plants for 370,000 euros per year, while UTE Menorca Subvertical will be responsible for the correct maintenance of the many cliffs along the port, for 138,000 euros per year. The service will be staffed by 10 workers from groups at risk of social exclusion.

At present, occasional maintenance work is being carried out, which has proved to be insufficient, therefore this contract will guarantee healthy and well-preserved species and green areas.

The contracts cover preventive and corrective maintenance and waste management in accordance with the regulations in force. Emergency incidents, which compromise the safety of people, will also be addressed within 10 minutes for trees and landscaping and 14 minutes for cliffs, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Non-urgent incidents will be resolved within 12 working hours.

Scope of the service

The actions include the entire APB management area, from the Naval Station to Cales Fonts, including the northern coastline as far as La Mola and the s'Hort d'en Murillo estate. Annual pruning, felling and stump removal for palm trees, elimination of shoots or branches that compromise people's safety, preventive phytosanitary treatments – such as red palm weevil treatment – as well as tree replacements, when required, will all be carried out.

In terms of flower beds and smaller plants, the service includes the maintenance of grass lawns, irrigation nets, hedges and shrubs, as well as seasonal flower beds. Those responsible will be in charge of clearing and cleaning vegetation, fertilisation, mowing, regeneration, replacement of species and improvements and repair of faults in the irrigation system.

Finally, the condition of the cliffs and anchorages will be reviewed and maintained, as well as the inventory of vegetation species living in the port. All this will be carried out by personnel specialising in rope access work.