Menorca Preservation Fund: Champions of Sustainability
It is often said that charity begins at home — but this is also true of conservation. Developing more sustainable lifestyles at an individual and local level is key to tackling climate change. This is the premise on which the Menorca Preservation Fund is built.
Established in November 2017, the Menorca Preservation Fund’s primary purpose is to support local, grass-roots organizations working to preserve and restore the island’s natural environment. Although a relatively young organization, it’s hit the ground running: by the end of 2019 — in a little over two years — the fund had backed 23 projects, to the tune of 150,000€.
“Our remit is to raise funds which we then distribute to groups and associations doing valuable work in our areas of interest,” explains MEPF director, Rebecca Morris. “We don’t generally implement projects ourselves but instead support organizations and champion, local heroes, doing valuable work.”
The MEPF’s key areas of interest are marine conservation, waste management, local food production, freshwater, and renewable energy. Some of the projects the fund has supported include coastal clean-up campaigns, research into vulnerable fish populations, studies of Posidonia (seagrass) meadows, and initiatives to help fisheries reduce waste throughout the supply chain — from finding and retrieving ghost nets to replacing disposable plastic bags and wrappers with biodegradable alternatives at local fish markets.
The Menorca Preservation Fund is part of an international network of sister funds on various islands — including Mallorca and Ibiza — all co-founded by environmental philanthropist Ben Goldsmith. Each operates independently but all regularly share insights and knowledge, discuss successes and challenges, and learn from one another.
This year, the Menorca fund is bringing together a number of different plastic-related projects they support to create a coordinated Plastic Free drive.
“It’s been done very successfully in Ibiza, so we’re refining and replicating their model,” Rebecca says. “The aim is to help businesses identify ways to reduce their single-use plastic and create a certification process for those who participate. ”
Of course, to support these projects, the Menorca Preservation Fund must itself raise funds. A large part of the funding comes from a steering committee made up of individuals who all love the island and want to protect it. The balance comes from private donations and from business partnerships.
One example of such a partnership is the Biniarroca Rural Hotel restaurant which adds an optional 1€ donation to the fund to each table’s bill. This year Portal Menorca is also entering a partnership with MEPF: for every donation their clients make, Portal Menorca has pledged to match it.
Although tackling climate change on a global scale can seem like an overwhelming task, supporting local sustainable initiatives is a far more manageable proposition — and something the Menorca Preservation Fund makes it easy for everyone to do.
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