Miquel Ramis has an ambitious idea for Mallorca.
The Mallorcan wants to plant one million trees across the island, not simply to make it greener, but as part of a different approach to one of Mallorca’s biggest long-term challenges: water.
Ramis, who grew up in Marratxí, spent two decades working in tourism before returning to traditional crafts. He later worked as a stonemason and sculptor, including on projects at Palma Cathedral and the Almudaina Palace. He has also spent more than 20 years documenting traditional Mallorcan crafts and knowledge.
Now his focus is on the island’s landscape.
A different approach to Mallorca's water problem
Ramis believes Mallorca needs to rethink how it manages water, rather than simply trying to produce more of it.
His proposal centres on regenerative agriculture and better management of the soil, with trees playing a central role. His argument is that healthier soils and appropriately chosen vegetation could help retain more rainwater in the landscape.
“We have to see water as an accounting balance,” he told elDiario.es. “So much water falls from the sky, so much we use, and from there we have to redesign.”
That is where his million-tree idea comes in.
Why a million trees?
Ramis estimates that planting one million trees would cost around €10 million, and argues that this could be a more sustainable investment than relying increasingly on large-scale water infrastructure.
But he isn’t simply proposing that Mallorca plant trees wherever there is space.
His idea is to choose species that are better adapted to the island’s increasingly dry conditions and to use them as part of a wider system involving agriculture, soil and water. “The tree is the tool,” he told elDiario.es. The bigger objective, he argues, is to change how Mallorca manages its land.
Choosing the Right Trees
Not all trees are suitable for Mallorca’s changing climate. Ramis argues that some traditional crops, including almonds, could become harder to sustain as temperatures rise and rainfall becomes less reliable. He has questioned whether species requiring around 450–500mm of annual rainfall will remain viable, and believes Mallorca should consider trees better adapted to drier conditions.
The idea has attracted criticism, particularly around introducing species from other parts of the world. Ramis argues that agriculture has always involved plants moving between regions.
But for him, the million trees are only part of a much bigger idea. He wants to rethink how Mallorca manages water, agriculture, soil and the landscape, using trees as part of a longer-term approach to retaining water and adapting to a drier climate.
It is important to note that this remains Ramis’ proposal, not an official Mallorca-wide programme. Whether the island ever comes close to planting one million additional trees remains to be seen, but his proposal raises a broader question: as Mallorca gets hotter and water becomes more pressured, could changing the way the island manages its landscape become part of the solution?
For Ramis, it starts with planting more trees — but choosing them carefully.
Source
This article is based on an interview with Miquel Ramis published by elDiario.es.
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