He Arona Town Hall has issued a press release stating that “the protection of Malpaís de Rasca as Special Nature Reserve it does not affect the agricultural use of this environment”.
From the Consistory they point out that it does not do so either “to the already existing and protected area or to the expansion recently approved by the Parliament of the Canary Islands.” ” “In fact, within this area there have been wine-growing activities for decades that have been maintained, despite the declaration of the reserve in 1994 and the subsequent master plan”, they highlight.
If the Special Natural Reserve was created that year, it requires a master plan that sets and establishes, among other issues, the regime of uses of the area. The one of Rasca was approved more than twenty years ago, by means of the order of January 29, 2001.
In this master plan, agricultural activity is expressly authorized and protected within point 3.2.3.1, which addresses the so-called “traditional use zone”. In this it is said that “agricultural practices in the areas traditionally used for this purpose, as well as the use of the techniques and methods necessary for the normal and effective development of this activity” are permitted uses.
Since there have been agricultural exploitations in this area long before the approval of the Special Natural Reserve, the statements collected today are not understood in which it is stated that this extension of protection endangers an activity that has been carried out for decades under the same figure of legal protection over the territory, a situation that would not make any sense.
From the Arona City Council it is understood that “these statements are based on the fact that, once Parliament approves the extension of the reserve, there is a deadline for a master plan to be drawn up, during which process all sectors and social actors will be able to consult the text, first, since it does not exist, except for the one from 2001, and, later, make the allegations that are considered appropriate”.
However, they indicate, “at this time there is no reason to question the continuity of agricultural activity in this environment, as it has been developing for many years.”
