The ‘Save La Tejita’ movement has alerted Seprona about the installation of a fence at the Cuna del Alma site in Puertito de Adeje. As per the report accessed by Canary Islands Now on April 15, workers commenced erecting a two-meter-high metal fence using heavy machinery in areas where the protected species of flora, the sad viper, resides.
The complaint includes three maps indicating the presence of the sad viper in the area where the fence is being constructed. Moreover, it states that there are unprotected population centers of this species at the site not marked by the company Evalúa Soluciones Ambientales SL.
In November 2022, the Ministry of Ecological Transition of the Government of the Canary Islands ordered the temporary cessation of the Cuna del Alma project. The decision was made by former councillor José Antonio Valbuena after environmental associations raised concerns over the imminent threat of ecological harm due to the project’s impact on the protected flora within this area.
The regional Government confirmed the existence of the sad viper in the area, a species accorded special protection status in the Canary Islands. Additionally, the Ministry rejected the developer’s request to relocate the flora. It was stated that the viper can only be relocated for significant public interest reasons or for research and educational purposes.
In the complaint by ‘Save La Tejita’, the group emphasises that none of the involved associations have been notified about a manipulation permit for the sad viper. They express concern that the substrate housing this species’ seeds is being disturbed.
The platform demands the suspension of the construction and advocates for penalising the developer for constructing a fence in areas crucial for the sad viborina population. They also urge Seprona to conduct a detailed analysis of the flora’s seedbeds in the region.
Furthermore, they highlight the absence of an environmental impact assessment for the project and stress the need for input from the biodiversity service of the Government of the Canary Islands regarding the conservation of the species. They also call for the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate possible neglect of duties by the Canary Islands Agency for the Protection of the Natural Environment.
‘Save La Tejita’ has urged the Tenerife community to gather at the construction site of the planned 420 luxury villas on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 a.m. to protest against the ongoing construction. On April 30, a group of activists managed to halt the project for a day.
The Government of the Canary Islands, led by the Canary Coalition and the Popular Party, has been actively pushing for the project. Within a short period, two ongoing cases against Cuna del Alma have lapsed, and one has been closed.
