They introduce vibrancy and vitality to the environment; however, beneath their seemingly benign facade, invasive plant species pose a significant threat to the native flora, particularly with regard to those that have flourished in the Anaga massif. In the settlements of Afur, Roque Negro, and Taborno, the peaks have been cloaked in growths where exotic species thrive, including the ipomea vine and violet bellflower, alongside two varieties of the clause leaf, Lycopodium and multicava, which are succulents that create mats on the ground that can reach heights of up to 30 centimetres.
The inhabitants of these rural park hamlets express their frustration at witnessing these species envelop trees until they become entirely parched, compounded by the escalating presence of cat’s tail, which dominates 90% of the summit in certain areas and has even encroached upon the tarmac of the old Pico del Inglés road.
Those impacted share that “the Cabildo initiated a campaign to eliminate exotic plants in the region back in 2019, dispatching teams to combat this invasion, yet these efforts seem to have been abandoned.”
In light of this, the locals question “why was a project launched that never progressed when the minimum timeframe for eradicating an invasive species is estimated at ten years? Since then, no further attention has been given to this issue.”
“There is no taskforce against exotic plants in Anaga, and when we mention this, they inform us that climate change is exacerbating their spread, particularly with cat’s tail. While we understand the rationale, it does not excuse the fact that for the past five years there has been no control over this invasion, which jeopardises our forests and agriculture,” they lament.
