SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 8th June –
On Saturday, the Tenerife Council organised a beach clean-up at Almáciga and Benijo to mark World Oceans Day. Present at the event were the Council President, Rosa Dávila; the Director of Natural Environment, Pedro Millán, and the councillor from Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, Gladis de León. The initiative involved collecting waste and conducting a workshop on microplastic pollution, with support from the Applied Analytical Chemistry Research Group at the University of La Laguna.
This event, coordinated by the Environmental Participation and Volunteering Office of the Council, was carried out in collaboration with the Environment Department and the Santa Cruz Sostenible Foundation. It also received support from the Applied Analytical Chemistry Research Group of the University of La Laguna, the Tenerife Island Mountaineering Federation, the Nivaria Mountaineers Club, the Terramare Cultural, Recreational and Sports Association, and the Scout Group 6 Ucanca.
“Protecting our environment is a mindset, and we aim to foster alliances to engage all citizens in the preservation and defence of our coastlines,” stated Rosa Dávila. She highlighted that the Environmental Participation and Volunteering Office organises around 400 activities annually, with approximately 5,000 participants. “Therefore, we will continue collaborating closely with various groups to create a volunteer network dedicated to coastal areas, striving for a better island together.”
Pedro Millán emphasised that in Tenerife, numerous public and private entities are actively participating in volunteer initiatives for marine habitat conservation. “To ensure the efficiency and long-term success of these collaborative efforts, we need coordination and a shared action plan among relevant entities and authorities. This is why we are launching the Environmental Participation and Volunteering Strategy for Tenerife’s Marine Coast, unveiled yesterday.”
World Oceans Day aims to raise awareness about human impact on the oceans, establish a global support movement, and unite individuals in a sustainable ocean management initiative. In addition to the clean-up at Almáciga and Benijo beaches, an environmental workshop and urban waste collection were conducted in Candelaria, with contributions from the Council, Oceans Transition Environmental Association, Terramare Cultural, Recreational and Sports Association, and Scout Group 6 Ucanca. The Council is also involved in supporting the Cimasub Festival, Tenerife International Underwater Film Series, Ocean Film Tour Festival, and the event ‘Oceans: sea turtles and conservation in the Teno Rasca marine strip’, held from 3rd to 9th June in Arona.
