The total amount of the grants is 25,000 € distributed among the 8 selected projects, which will be carried out during one year.

The Menorca Biosphere Reserve Agency of the Consell Insular de Menorca has resolved the call for grants to carry out environmental studies and research in the Biosphere Reserve for the year 2024. This line of support promotes projects that contribute to deepening the scientific knowledge of the island and reinforce the sustainable management of its territory. The call has been endowed with a total of 25,000 euros.

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Eight research projects will receive funding to promote scientific knowledge and environmental conservation in the Biosphere Reserve

The projects that have been awarded grants this year are the following:

• Genetic description of the populations of water turtles (Emys orbicularis) in Menorca: analysis and comparison with continental populations to improve their conservation status.
• Ensuring the health of the ocean: microbial diversity along the coast of Menorca and the factors that contribute to its richness.
• Diagnosis of the generation of plastic waste in the maritime sector of Menorca.
• Coastal ecosystems as sinks and sources of greenhouse gases: analysis of s’Albufera des Grau.

• Study of the diversity of formicidae in Menorca: sampling, reference collections and genetic analysis.
• Gastropods of s’Albufera des Grau: diversity and role in the transmission of wildlife pathogens.
• Effect of artificial light on the ponds used by bats for drinking: trend of the increase of lights in the Menorca Biosphere Reserve.
• Menorca and the dormouse. A forgotten endemism in the decline of the species.

The councillor for the Environment, Biosphere Reserve and Cooperation, Simón Gornés, thanked the involvement of all the people and research teams that participated in the call. ‘The studies that are carried out every year in the Menorca Biosphere Reserve allow us to improve, anticipate and make more efficient the tasks of management, conservation and monitoring of our territory and ecosystems. For this reason, we also want to financially support projects that contribute to broadening the scientific knowledge of Menorca. Our congratulations to all those who have submitted their projects.

The projects have been individually assessed by an Evaluation Commission made up of technicians from the Department of the Environment of the Consell Insular. A total of 9 projects were presented, of which 8 were selected for meeting the requirements and criteria established in the terms and conditions of the call for proposals. The evaluation criteria included the scientific rigour of the proposals, the environmental interest of the subject of the study, the expected impact on the management and conservation of the Reserve, the ability to disseminate the results, the involvement of own resources and the experience of the people responsible.

The awarded studies will have a maximum period of one year to be carried out, and their results will contribute to the knowledge and sustainable management of the Menorcan territory, in coherence with the objectives of the Biosphere Reserve.