A former U.S. military base to become an educational and environmental centre with improved island-wide mobile coverage
The Consell Insular de Menorca has announced the launch of the rehabilitation project at the former U.S. military base of s’Enclusa, located in the municipality of Ferreries. After more than 30 years of abandonment, the site will be restored and repurposed for public use, combining social, educational, environmental, and technological functions.
The project will be implemented in three phases, supported by three funding sources: the Tourism Sustainability Plan, the Biosphere Reserve Law funds (through ITS funding), and a collaboration agreement with IBDIGITAL. Some work is already underway.
Menorca’s President Adolfo Vilafranca, along with Environment Councillor Simón Gornés, Ferreries Mayor Pedro Pons, and Tourism Promotion Director Juana Mari Pons, visited the site and outlined the interventions planned.
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Rehabilitation Works Begin at S’Enclusa in Menorca
The first phase, financed with €2 million from the Tourism Sustainability Plan, enables initial improvements to the site. IBANAT has already completed a thorough exterior clean-up, and the interior cleaning and dry-stone wall perimeter fencing will now commence. A reinforced video surveillance system has been installed, and the history of the base’s democratic transition will be preserved through testimonies from individuals who once lived or worked there.
An additional €433,771.87 from the Biosphere Reserve Law, funded via ITS, will support the drafting of the basic and executive project plans, the construction management, and health and safety coordination for what will become a new interpretive centre of the Menorca Biosphere Reserve.
The site will include a residential nature camp (casa de colonias) with services such as laundry, a dining hall, a kitchen, a shop, nature classrooms, and recreational outdoor areas. It will also serve as an educational and cultural hub, with exhibition spaces dedicated to the history of the U.S. military presence on the island, Menorcan culture, and the natural significance of the Biosphere Reserve. A café will provide services to visitors and users.
A key part of the project involves relocating the current antenna infrastructure to the height of the water reservoir through a partnership with IBDIGITAL. This move is expected to improve island-wide mobile coverage and reduce radiation levels on the mountain, according to Vilafranca.
“More than 30 years after the departure of the last U.S. military personnel, we are finally working to transform s’Enclusa into a year-round attraction for residents of Ferreries, all Menorcans, and visitors alike,” said Ferreries Mayor Pedro Pons. “It has enormous potential as a cultural and environmental destination.”