Towards the end of last year, branches that were falling from pine trees, some at least one hundred years old, led Arta town hall to ask the Council of Majorca to undertake a diagnosis of the health of the trees. The upshot of this is that the Council will have to cut down eight of these old pine trees on the Costa i Llobera avenue, which is the main road to Capdepera. The trees have been badly affected by processionary caterpillars.
Around fifty trees have been analysed during the first phase that covers the road from the entrance to Arta up to the Ses Païsses roundabout. The elimination of the diseased trees will be carried out between 4 and 7 April; the road will be closed at times to allow the work to be done.
The Council was called in following a meeting between the mayor, Manolo Galán, and the director for infrastructure, Joan Cifre. Main roads are his responsibility, and the Costa i Llobera avenue is a main road. Galán is concerned at the loss of the trees but stresses that public safety has to be ensured.
Ten other trees have had to be felled. These were in the Can Marín park. Half of these, says the mayor, were very old and very dry. Again, the main priority was safety. The park is in the same area of Arta as the part of the avenue with the diseased pines. New trees will be planted in the park.