SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE Jan. 14 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Government of the Canary Islands has established a panel of specialists, led by architect Juan Manuel Palerm, to focus on safeguarding the landscape across the islands while fostering economic growth.
The regional president, Fernando Clavijo, presided over the inauguration of this working group, underlining his “dedication” to enhancing sustainability within the archipelago and the “challenge” of examining the landscape from multiple “angles” and as a “source of prosperity.”
He indicated that the Canary Islands are confronting issues such as depopulation and the “neglect” of agricultural regions, and he emphasised the importance of educating citizens to “appreciate” the landscape, which he regards as “living and vibrant.” He asserted that efforts should be made to leave a “more considerate legacy.”
Palerm pointed out that the landscape represents something beyond mere aesthetics, with a “challenging integration” with development, creating “conflicts” among various administrative bodies that must be resolved through “conversation and dialogue.”
He remarked that it is beneficial to discover “tools” to “circumvent potential conflicts, risks, interferences, and oversights” within one’s habitat, calling for solutions that align with the framework of the European Landscape Convention.
“Not only is the Canary Islands an outstanding and exemplary laboratory at a European level, but many of the conflicts currently repeating across Europe are echoed here, albeit in a smaller but more intense manner,” he observed.
The vice president, Ángela Ruiz, stated that the relationship with the landscape is a “continuous action and tension,” clarifying that “to construct, one does not need to destroy; instead, dialogue must be intensified, particularly between the animate and the inanimate.”
In this context, she noted that the “biodiversity and uniqueness” of the islands necessitate “contemplating their landscape” from a contemporary viewpoint while also considering the “inherited past” to propel it into the future.
Carmelo Quintana has accepted the “challenge” posed by climate change and its ramifications on the landscape, noting that “political and social transformations” will “impact” the area, all the while acknowledging that the landscape is a product of a “culture” and its specific location.
THREATS FROM EXTERNAL FACTORS
“I believe we are allowing our landscape to be swayed by external influences, which are becoming somewhat uncontrollable, and in this context, a part of the committee’s role should be to steer these aspects back on course and impose some order,” he remarked, as various administrations operate “disjointedly.”
Carmen Romero (geographer) mentioned that this is a “very challenging task to undertake,” yet at the same time “highly rewarding,” stressing that the landscape is akin to a document featuring multiple narratives.
“Not every narrative must hold value, but it is a document that can be interpreted from numerous diverse perspectives,” she elaborated.
Arnoldo Santos (botanist) indicated that the islands host “unique” botanical landscapes at the European level, including palm groves, cardones, and pines, and have experienced “such profound transformations that many areas have been irreversibly altered,” such as the contemporary city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
“Conversely, other landscapes have seen a natural resurgence following the cessation of human activities or their designation as protected natural areas by the Government of the Canary Islands,” he continued, though he acknowledged the “threats” posed by the proliferation of ‘cat’s tail’ vegetation.
Marisa Tejedor emphasised the significance of the soil in understanding the landscape better and highlighted the “issues” created by human activities in many areas, which have suffered “considerable degradation,” citing the introduction of irrigation into dryland farming as an example.
“An essential task for this committee is to elucidate and persuade the authorities that numerous issues, and the conflicts arising, possess a multisectoral nature, meaning the solutions must also encompass multiple sectors,” she remarked.
Economist José Luis Rivero argued that the interplay between landscape and humanity is a “complex subject,” as it cannot solely be appreciated from the standpoint of “how attractive” it is to behold, and imposing “limitations” leads to conflicts as they must cater to the population’s needs.
Beyond its role of analysing and proposing initiatives across various domains such as agriculture, engineering, and architecture, this committee must prioritize raising awareness and education about the landscape among the community, and steps are already underway to establish a Master’s programme in Landscape at both Canarian universities.
Similarly, the outcomes of their efforts will determine which experimental case studies should be conducted across the different territories, which are conducive to developing strategic projects that will be undertaken by the Government of the Canary Islands.
