The Conservation and Urban Planning Department of the La Laguna City Council are implementing measures to safeguard and promote the paleontological site of Punta de San Juanito. This fossil beach, dating back to over 120,000 years ago, provides a glimpse into the ancient coastline of La Laguna and the species that once inhabited it. Spanning an area of about 20 square meters, this site is a valuable window into the past, and efforts are being made to preserve it as part of the coastal recovery project for Punta del Hidalgo.
Councilor for Cultural Heritage and Urban Planning Director, Adolfo Cordobés, emphasised the importance of integrating the cultural heritage of this landscape into the environmental restoration project. He highlighted the significance of preserving this lesser-known paleontological site for research, conservation, and public awareness.
According to the City Council, the fossil beach is composed of consolidated sandstones with basaltic stones and a variety of mollusk shells, including warm water species like Tethystrombus coronatus and Gemophos viverratus. The site also houses rhodoliths, calcareous red algae nodules, and a deposit of clays and silt containing shells of a terrestrial gastropod species, possibly Hemicycla collarifera.
To ensure the protection of this site, it has been incorporated into the coastal recovery project with measures to prevent any adverse impacts from interventions.
The environmental restoration project, designed by the CF Cabrera-Febles Arquitectura, Paisaje y Urbanismo studio, will encompass an extensive intervention in a 50,000 square meter area, focusing on the coastal section from the end of the urban area of Punta del Hidalgo. This project aims to rejuvenate, enhance, and conserve the heritage resources of the region.
The estimated cost of the project is just over 3.7 million Euros, and the tender process will commence upon receiving the mandatory report from Costas. The Port Authority has already approved the project.
Revitalising the Coastline
The primary intervention involves the extraction and cleaning of the coastline to rectify decades of debris accumulation and degradation. This restoration will enhance biodiversity by allowing the ebb and flow of the tide without hindrance, facilitating the settlement of marine organisms in the revived coastal ecosystem.
The area is home to numerous species, including the brown algae Sargassum vulgare, classified as a Species of Interest for the Canary Islands Ecosystems, and birds protected under special regulations.
In addition to environmental restoration, the project also focuses on enhancing the social value of the coastal stretch for public use and includes actions such as road surface rehabilitation, native species revegetation, burying power lines, and improving the lighthouse area and nearby square.
