Eradicate mouflon or restrict sports activities. The variety of allegations and their complicated fit in the dichotomy between conservation and enjoyment make it difficult to reach the long-awaited consensus in the preparation of the new Master Plan for Use and Management (PRUG) of the Teide National Park. Participation, once a first draft was presented, has increased since last May 23 the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Fight against Climate Change of the Canary Islands Government take out this first document for public display. It will be until September 15 after four deadline extensions (those previously established were July 5, 22 and 26). They have presented their demands and corrections to the same associations, political parties, the Cabildo itself – with a text of more than 200 pages on the 63 of the original, whose content has not been made public – clubs, sports federations and all kinds of groups that have to do with this protected natural space, a symbol of Tenerife and the Canary Islands.
This same week, in a statement echoed by the Efe agency, the Friends of Nature Associations for the Conservation of Biodiversity in the Canary Islands and Tenerife called for the Teide cable car dismantlingeradicate the mouflon within three years and ban sports events with more than 50 participants in the National Park.
Both associations jointly presented allegations to the PRUG, which generally consider “an important improvement” in the objective of conserving the natural heritage of this protected area. They reject “the campaign of those who want to turn it” into a theme park “and both entities believe that the regulations contemplated in the project that limit the recreational and tourist uses of the Park” are on the right track.
However, both the Association for the Conservation of Canarian Biodiversity (ACBC) and the Tenerife Association of Friends of Nature (ATAN) consider them insufficient and therefore have presented the allegations. They affect between traditional uses in beekeeping. In the Portillo Alto area, the progressive recovery and naturalization of this space will be promoted and, in no case, will it be used to install infrastructures related to the mobility system. The plan for this area, which the Cabildo must develop in parallel to the PRUG, initially contemplates three points as the base for shuttle buses to visit the Park: the aforementioned Portillo, Vilaflor de Chasna and Chío.
From politics.
The Sí Podemos Canarias group in the council “opts to expand and improve participation in the PRUG del Teide”. The insular spokesperson, María José Belda, points out the importance of “agreeing on the document with the citizens of Tenerife, so that the natural values that make Teide a National Park can be implemented and protected.” Belda is in favor of extension of the period of public information of the document «the time necessary to guarantee a broader debate and a greater consensus.
The agreement adopted with the amendment presented in plenary session by Sí Podemos Canarias includes “wide dissemination and pedagogy work aimed at citizens to minimize the effects of misinformation.” The insular spokesperson for Sí Podemos Canarias criticizes that «the economic interests that the Canarian Coalition has defended for years in the Teide National ParkThey have to start restricting themselves.”
Meet Tenerife.
The new collective Reunir Tenerife, which started on June 10, presents allegations to the Teide Plan to “dismantle the cable car, increase the number of agents or recover the Altavista Refuge hostel.” The organization criticizes that the new PRUG of the Park skips everything proposed in the current one to “save the cable car” and go from eliminating it to integrating it with a new platform and more parking. It also raises the need to carry out an ordinary strategic environmental assessment as opposed to the simplified one; expand the staff of environmental agents or prohibit new infrastructures without exceptions.
Regarding hunting, Reunir criticizes the “failed management” that the use of firearms has meant and opposes the reinforcement contemplated by the new PRUG, as well as its economic incentive. He poses toAlternatives that do not cause pain and death or even the capture and transfer to their original habitat to mouflons, which was introduced 50 years ago by the first director of the disappeared Icona (Institute for the Conservation of Nature), Francisco Ortuño. Reunir also urges the inclusion of collaboration with the Historical Memory Law in the search for the possible remains of people assassinated during the dictatorship, including the last Republican mayor of the capital’s municipality, José Carlos Schwartz.
mediator municipality.
The municipality of Tacoronte It is offered as a “place for reflection and dialogue to advance in the conservation of the Teide National Park”. The Department of the Environment of the Tacoronte City Council, chaired by Carmen Díaz, recently organized a conference attended by prominent experts and in which an aspect that is part of the concern of Canarian society could be addressed, the future of the Teide National Park Use and Management Plan (PRUG). The round table under the title How to protect a natural heritage of the Canarian people? it had experts of the level of Manuel Nogales, delegate in the Canary Islands of the CSIC; professor and researcher UL, Juana María González, and Jaime Coello Bravo, director of the Telesforo Bravo-Juan Coello Foundation. Councilor Díaz stated that “we offer ourselves as a place of knowledge, information or data exchange, since Tacoronte is absolutely open to knowledge for the conservation of the biodiversity of the Teide National Park.” He summarized: «There are many issues on the table, the cable car itself and its future from 2031 when the administrative concession ends, sustainable mobility, restoration or the opposite of the El Portillo area, sports uses or reserve areas»
An example of sports use.
Other groups such as the mountaineers have already done so, but the Canarian Athletics Federation is the most recent to announce its allegations to the PRUG of the Teide National Park. The FCA proposes that in the training of foot races in high mountains, the practice be free on the paths identified as sports trails. It also points out that the prohibition of the use of walking sticks in areas of maximum environmental protection is necessary and, finally, it proposes that events such as the Tenerife Bluetrail maintain an outstanding status within the legislation.
Examples of participation, achieved and expanded, that make us doubt, precisely, the long-awaited consensus. A long way to go. For now, the next stage is September 15.
Ashotel claims “a financial record”
“Managing is intervening, not prohibiting.” The hotel management values it in its allegations to the PRUG del Teide, in which it is committed to establishing limits based on “a serious and reasoned diagnosis”. Ashotel urges the Government of the Canary Islands to “rework the Plan with greater participation and based on technical studies, not on opinions.” They add: «A document of the importance of the PRUG of Teide cannot be drafted with its back to society». They consider that “it is undoubtedly necessary to establish limits and requirements” but that is equivalent to “a serious and reasoned diagnosis”. Likewise, the hotel management points out that the PRUG “suffers from an exhaustive economic analysis” and proposes incorporating “a financial sheet” into the document. In addition, Ashotel points out that the text “lacks the support of technical and scientific studies.” Other aspects to improve are surveillance, access and mobility, as well as “the incorporation of a diagnosis of load capacity.” It proposes «creating electric vehicle installations». He considers that “activities must be regulated but not prohibited.” From astrotourism to audiovisuals.
