The Almuñécar-based women’s ecologist group, La Asociación de Mujeres Ecologistas Sexitanas, has denounced what they claim to be “extreme tree Felling” on the Paseo del Altillo gardens. They say that around a dozen emblematic trees were cut down at base level, especially ‘ficus’ (rubber-plant trees) near the car-park entrance. They consider that these trees had formed a fundamental part of the panorama.

The A.M.E.S. warns of a policy of “devastation” against green areas that is being carried out by the Town Hall, with ‘incomprehensible episodes’ such as the uprooting of palm trees on Calle Pablo Iglesias and there replanting on what they claim as privately owned land, which in their consideration could amount to a fraudulent use of public funds.

They also denounce the disappearance of the palm trees on the street leading from the town-hall square up to the church, which had been there for 25 years, having been brought from Cuba.

All this, they consider, underlines the incompetence of the Councillor concerned, Luis Aragón (PA).

“The policy of this Local Council is intolerable, with its eradication of green spaces to be replaced by concrete, much more so in a ‘municipio turístico’ such as Almuñécar… …putting into peril the environmental values that characterise the capital of the Costa Tropical,” said their spokeswoman.

Editorial comment: Anybody who has had a ficus in their garden knows what a menace their roots can be, as they rapidly extent, blocking drains and lifting pavements, etc. Perhaps the A.M.E.S should be asking themselves what lunatic decided to plant them on the shallow-soil gardens sitting on top of the underground car-park?

Secondly, it has been a constant complaint from anybody unfortunate enough to have a balcony in front of these ornamental palms that line pavements that they serve as a veritable motorway for rats and other vermin to their flats. The fonds scrape against their windows yet they are forbidden from trying to cut them back. Now that somebody is finally doing something about it, we have this group of indignant ecologist screaming to the heavens over it.

lastly, Motril is the capital of Costa Tropical; not Almuñécar.

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)