The forthcoming celebration of the Spanish Shooting Championship in June 2024 has sparked a controversy after this publication unveiled images captured by a local association, which condemned the condition in which the area was left. It was littered with fragments of projectiles, remnants of clay targets scattered over a vast expanse, and gunfire that inflicted harm on the indigenous flora. While the City Council expressed its dissatisfaction over the state of the land situated in the Llanos de Ifara area, in the southern part of Tenerife within the Granadilla de Abona municipality, another similar championship is already on the horizon for 2025, scheduled this Thursday to continue until Sunday, the 18th.
“Undoubtedly, this will lead to increased environmental harm and a destruction of landscapes,” particularly in an “area crucial for both avian species and already endangered terrestrial fauna,” the Imastanen collective remarked.
“Following the events of last year, even the City Council disapproved of the event’s continuation, which is why they are not sponsoring it this year,” stated the organisation. It emphasised that the Insular Cabildo and the Canarian Government are both featured as partners, alongside various clubs, assemblies, and relevant federations. “We fail to comprehend how such events are permitted, given the detrimental environmental footprint and clear damage to ecosystems they cause, and the lack of accountability for those involved in facilitating and sponsoring them,” they critiqued.
The collective underscores the fragility of the archaeological sites in the region: “We are particularly alarmed, as they are still inadequately protected today, despite numerous studies conducted by different archaeological firms that have classified this area as one of special archaeological significance on the island due to the abundance of engravings, residential structures, and surface materials present, among many other values. The municipality of Granadilla is further enriched by a plethora of ethnographic and architectural heritage, as well as extraordinary biological diversity, rendering this area a remarkable landscape treasure.”
It is worth mentioning that this week, it was announced that the General Directorate of Heritage of the Canarian Government has initiated a penalty procedure against the Cabildo de Tenerife for demolishing a segment of an ethnological site in Arico during certain Iter works, and a fine of 229,000 euros has been levied on the soul cradle project in Adeje for destroying an archaeological site.
The Imastane collective highlights that this championship is not the only one conducted this year in Tenerife’s natural locations. On April 26 and 27, the Insular Championship of Hunting Tours was held in Hoya Grande in Adeje. This particular area in the south of the island is “threatened by an urban development in the form of golf courses and residential properties.” As Imastanen has frequently reported, “this site holds considerable significance in terms of heritage and environmental value. Multiple archaeological sites will be directly or indirectly impacted by this project, despite their respective cataloguing, which does not influence the issuance of permits and authorisations for its execution.”
This island championship for hunting tours was funded by the Cabildo Sports Area, with support from the City Council of Adeje and other contributors.
The organisation reports that two weeks after the shooting event, it has been able to confirm that the area remains “contaminated by the remnants of countless fragments of dishes and shotgun cartridges.” It describes the situation as “a scene identical to that witnessed in the Ifra area last year, highlighting the complete lack of concern from the relevant authorities in enforcing the law and ensuring minimal impact on the territory before any human activity.”
Imastanen considers it “unacceptable that the same authorities who are supposed to ensure the conservation and protection of already threatened areas of significant archaeological and environmental value are also the ones subsidising and sponsoring these championships in such sensitive natural spaces. All of this occurs without guaranteeing adequate monitoring and adherence to the necessary action protocols required in these environments.”
Hoya Grande, he adds, despite the environmental impact plan presented by the developer of the proposed golf course—which only mentioned a few marginal specimens—contains extensive habitats of Sad Echium plants. This species was crucial in halting the urbanisation works in the Puertito de Armeñime. This botanical species holds protected status under “special protection” and begins to sprout throughout the area after rainfall, Imastanen recalls. “The harm to these plant populations is particularly noticeable, as we have observed in recent days. Not only have we found specimens of sad viborina trampled, but other species also show signs of damage caused by an activity of this nature and the resulting pressure on the ground,” he states.
Therefore, he concludes, “it seems an error at the outset to permit the use of these areas for such events, as there are more suitable locations that would ensure a reduced impact on the natural environment. Furthermore, prior to granting the necessary permits and authorisations, it is very concerning that there are no protocols established or signs indicating the legal repercussions of harming local flora and fauna. Signage concerning the deposits should be in place to prevent potential damage caused by the movement of participants and the falling of fragments.”
