Alert from Ecologists about Potential Harm to Historical Heritage due to Government-Sponsored Hunting Championship in Tenerife

A community of environmental enthusiasts (a group made up of history and heritage admirers who monitor theft and harm to sites, inform authorities, and raise awareness about the archaeological richness of different locations) has condemned recent events near Los Llanos de Ifara, in the south of Tenerife, within the Granadilla de Abona municipality. According to spokesperson Sixto Garcia, the Spanish Hunting Tour Championship held from May 31 to June 2, where around 250 shooters participated, endangered the archaeological and scenic heritage of the area, designated as a Natural Monument. This happened despite previous warnings to the authorities about the potential risks.

The group highlights that the competition led to “a large number of people passing through the area, along with the generation of waste from clay pigeon shooting, such as leftover plates and cartridges, containing unknown substances like lead, plastic, and other harmful metals, scattered across the site.”

García questions “the persistence of such activities in the region, especially when promises have been made for many years about establishing a future archaeological park, while simultaneously witnessing the destruction of the space and sites due to other activities like geocaching among others.”

The group has repeatedly contacted the Heritage department of the Tenerife Island Council to raise concerns about the damage being inflicted upon the heritage of the area, particularly the historical cabins. They express bewilderment over “why the authorities (Granadilla City Council, Tenerife Island Council, and Canary Islands Government) endorse these events in the area instead of safeguarding it.”


García recalls that during the previous administration, they expressed concerns to the local government about “the deteriorating condition of the sites, with some historically significant cabins gradually falling into disrepair, vandalized by the theft of stones bearing engravings. No concrete measures were taken following that meeting to ensure the preservation, protection, study, and promotion of this gem of Canarian archaeology.” They criticize the current management for allowing the situation to persist and deteriorate further, evident through events like this championship.





The group mentions that the Tenerife Island Planning Plan, officially approved by Decree 150/2002 on October 16, classifies the Natural Monument of Montañas de Ifara and Los Riscos as an environmental protection area I, highlighting its importance in terms of geomorphology, ecology, and landscape. They also point out that the Canary Islands Government declared in 2021 that the designation as Cultural Interest Assets aims to establish protection guidelines ensuring the conservation of archaeological sites and ethnographic elements. Therefore, any Earthworks not aligned with conservation, landscape adaptation, or existing crop restructuring are prohibited, as well as any activity posing a risk of erosion or endangerment to the area’s flora, fauna, and ecological balance.


The group also exposes illicit alterations to existing roads, banned under the regulations, involving widening, siding, and covering with materials such as concrete, gravel, and cement, leading to vegetation destruction. Increased road traffic and human presence have been observed in the surrounding area post-construction work, notably during large events like championships.


García points out that the environmental and heritage repercussions were overlooked by authorities endorsing the work, despite its proximity and, in some cases, encroachment on the protected natural space designated as a Natural Monument. Furthermore, they highlight that “the improvements and paving of this route benefit individuals who have long occupied the historical caves at the fringes of a protected natural area, resulting in significant documented harm, reported to both the Tenerife Island Council and the Granadilla City Council numerous times.”