The announcement was made by the President of The Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, yesterday that the inception of charging an entrance fee to protected natural areas on the Island will begin this summer in the Masca gorge within the Teno Rural Park, coinciding with the reopening of its closed pier since 2018. This step will serve as a trial run “with the intention of full implementation by January 2025” in other natural spaces, as detailed during a press conference attended by the Vice President of the island, Lope Afonso.
Yesterday, the Government Council ratified the collaboration agreement between The Cabildo and the Buenavista City Council for the administration of the Masca cove pier, which has already been signed by Puertos de Tenerife.
“The inter-administrative agreement includes enhancements in services and increased safety in this area, which is particularly environmentally sensitive, and includes the reopening of the pier,” explained Rosa Dávila, highlighting its importance as a fundamental infrastructure to “alleviate foot traffic and, most importantly, reduce the number of rescue operations due to people no longer having to ascend the gorge to exit.”
Moreover, the island president mentioned that access to Masca is possible both through existing active tourism companies and freely, with a set limit of 275 visitors per day, translating to around 100,000 annual visitors being able to explore the gorge. Additionally, plans are underway for a bus service to mitigate current traffic issues in the area, complementing the pier service back to Los Gigantes. Up to four boats, along with kayaks and canoes, will be permitted to anchor at the pier mouth.
Regarding the entrance fee, the president noted that “we are currently evaluating the economic analysis” and reiterated that “The Cabildo will cover the costs for Tenerife residents,” excluding other visitors. Furthermore, “all this will be formalized within the tax ordinance that will govern the ecotax,” which is also under development, with likely management through the public company Tragsa.
Educational Grants
On another note, the Governing Council also approved the scholarship program for university studies, Vocational Training, and students with special educational needs, with an initial allocation of 5.7 million Euros, with the potential to expand up to eleven million. Dávila highlighted that the Cabildo has accelerated the timelines by four months to expedite families’ access to these resources.
The Council also sanctioned an agreement with the La Orotava City Council for the enhancement of the TF-21 section connecting the town and Aguamansa. This project aims to enhance road safety and pedestrian traffic through the installation of sidewalks, improved lighting, and street crossings, enhancing connectivity and services. The project is budgeted at 38.7 million Euros with an estimated completion timeframe of 24 months.
In the realm of Social Action, Lope Afonso reported that the Governing Council approved initiatives totaling approximately ten million Euros, featuring the contracting of residential and day care services for adults with disabilities at CAMP La Cuesta, valued at 9.267 million Euros.
Furthermore, in Sports, two agreements were endorsed with Arona and San Miguel de Abona for various infrastructure projects.
Dávila Enacts Water Emergency Declaration Decree
The President of The Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, executed the decree yesterday declaring a water emergency for the Island, following the addressing and inclusion of some of the 16 objections raised, now enabling the rollout of the 75 outlined actions in the decree to combat the impacts of drought, especially on agriculture, as a very dry summer is anticipated.
This declaration, as highlighted by Dávila post the Government Council meeting, will pave the way for “more than 27,000 extra cubic meters of water per day” through the completion of a dozen works under the decree, encompassing desalination and purification, leading to a 10% boost in agricultural water supply and 5% for the general water supply of the Island.
She emphasized that the document is “crucial” not only for the urgent nature of the works and infrastructures but also to prompt municipalities to adopt the stipulated measures moving forward.
Regarding the objections, she elaborated that they primarily centred on extending deadlines, reducing water losses, restoring well galleries and pumps, and enhancing irrigation efficiency for agriculture, among others.
>The declaration is initially valid for six months, with the potential for a further extension of another six months.
