SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 11 Nov (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Cabildo of Tenerife has successfully rejuvenated more than 5 hectares of broom within the Teide National Park, following an intricate restoration process initiated after the 2007 fire. The Minister for Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies, Blanca Pérez, along with the insular director of Medio Natural, Pedro Millán, visited today, Monday, the access point to the Fregel Cross where the fencing has been removed. Pérez and Millán were joined by the director of the Teide National Park, Manuel Durbán, in addition to various technicians from the region and the park.
The president of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, emphasised the significance of “initiating improvements to restore areas affected by fires.” “This initiative commenced following the 2007 fire that impacted the Teide National Park and has come to a successful conclusion with the recovery of the broom,” she remarked.
Blanca Pérez elaborated that the fencing of the region is essential to deter herbivores—primarily rabbits—which are responsible for damaging the flora of the Teide National Park: “It is a challenging task that is vital for protecting and promoting the recovery of the summit scrub. The area consists of broom that is now sufficiently developed to thrive and sustain itself without human intervention. Furthermore, alongside the broom, various species of Teide flora have flourished, creating a plant cover reminiscent of what existed prior to the 2007 fire.”
In turn, Pedro Millán explained that “approximately 100 hectares are presently being fenced to aid their recovery. These are areas impacted by last year’s fire that require protection to prevent rabbits from decimating them. Our goal is to rehabilitate and restore the region with native species, and for this purpose, such interventions are necessary.”
Manuel Durbán pointed out that with the removal of the fence, the aim of recovering this broom area in the northern section of the National Park has been achieved, and stressed the importance of continuing to conserve and protect both the flora and fauna through various actions. The fence that has just been dismantled was erected following a fire that took place in the area in 2007. Consequently, a 50 cm high fence was constructed above ground, with another 50 cm buried to prevent the ingress of herbivores, successfully safeguarding the area.
In addition to the work completed today, the Cabildo has recently sanctioned a project for the restoration of the summit scrub, set to be conducted by Gesplan, with a budget exceeding one million euros, as well as efforts aimed at reviving the cedar within the Teide National Park, involving an investment of 1.1 million euros.