Santa Cruz de Tenerife 5 Mar. (Europa Press) –
The Cabildo de Tenerife has initiated a plan for the intervention and control of eucalyptus in sensitive regions of the island adjacent to residential areas and bordering on mountainous terrain, with the aim of minimising the risk of fires and ensuring public safety.
This initiative forms part of the Tenerife Medianías Plan and focuses on private properties where substantial populations of this tree species exist.
The Minister of Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies, Blanca Pérez, highlights in a statement that “the Tenerife Medianías Plan encompasses various actions designed to prevent wildfires and ensure the safety of individuals and property, particularly homes.”
She believes that “managing the extensive zones populated by eucalyptus is critical due to their high flammability, which poses a wildfire risk in areas bordering the mountains.”
Blanca Pérez emphasises that “the Tenerife Medianías Plan is a vital tool that incorporates various actions such as the restoration of thermophilic forests, clearing of neglected land and orchards, promoting agricultural and livestock activities, and enhancing landscape values.”
Eucalyptus is a large tree that was introduced to Tenerife in the mid-nineteenth century for medicinal and aesthetic reasons along roadways, gaining significant momentum in the 1940s for industrial purposes, particularly in areas occupied by Monteverde.
Today, it has become naturalised and turned into an aggressive invasive species that is challenging to eradicate.
These trees, noted for their rapid growth, contain highly flammable essential oils, which increases the risk of fire spreading in vulnerable regions.
The ‘Tenerife Medianías Plan for fire prevention and the enhancement of natural and agricultural biodiversity’ is an initiative focused on improving the safety of residents living in the island’s highest-risk areas.
It has a budget of €2.9 million and an implementation timeframe of three years. Its primary goal is to advise homeowners in the medianías to adopt self-protection strategies in their residences and farms against wildfires, mainly by reducing the accumulation of plant fuel, while also enhancing natural and agricultural biodiversity through the establishment of ‘Biodiversity’ shelters.
