The mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez (Canarian coalition), praised on Monday the presentation of the city’s green infrastructure plan and its biodiversity, highlighting the urban greenery just days after several experts raised concerns about its deteriorating condition, even labelling it an “emergency.”
While these experts reported daily observations that “horrify them,” such as certain prunings and the favouring of large treeless areas, Bermúdez asserted that “there is no capital in Spain with a greater variety of exotic trees than Santa Cruz de Tenerife.” He further stated that the amount of green space exceeds World Health Organisation recommendations, which advise having one tree for every three individuals. In the city, there are two.
The mayor has advocated for enhancements to the municipality’s green infrastructure, which boasts over 400,000 registered trees—50,000 in public spaces, another 50,000 on private property, and the remainder in the Rural Park of Anaga. He emphasised that the capital has more than 484 hectares of public parks housing 488 distinct species of trees and palms, highlighting significant biodiversity, according to Bermúdez.
Moreover, he pointed out that essential parameters are met, such as the proximity of residents to green areas, with 90% of those living in Santa Cruz de Tenerife having these spaces within 300 metres of their homes.
In addition, he mentioned plans to enhance shaded areas provided by trees and to create green corridors that connect parks and gardens across various neighbourhoods, including the Ramblas, as outlined in the city’s Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Plan.
Juan Manuel Borrajo, the editor of the Green Infrastructure Plan and Biodiversity of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, explained that this document serves as a strategy to cultivate “more trees for people” in “urban forests” that are both sustainable and diverse.
He added that this plan will benefit individuals and improve their health and quality of life while also safeguarding the city’s biodiversity, which boasts “very good” quality green areas.
“We envision a Santa Cruz that thrives in harmony with nature,” said the mayor, emphasising the importance of integrating nature into urban planning to enhance resilience against climate change.
The plan will undergo public consultation to gather feedback on the 125 proposals highlighted in the document.
“War” against trees
Despite the council boasting about the number of trees, there are local groups, such as Trees Speak, that have been vocalising their concerns over what they consider a “war” against trees by the CC-PP government. Protests escalated after a large eucalyptus tree near the iconic flower clock in García Sanabria Park was felled last June. The removal was justified by the fall of a large branch shortly before, yet public outrage erupted as the tree in question was over 60 years old and a study from a private firm suggested that complete removal was unnecessary, recommending only a height reduction due to wind exposure and further tests on its wood’s strength. Nonetheless, the council opted for felling, as it has done with numerous specimens.
In other circumstances, as these associations highlight, trees are suffocated, denying them the necessary space to thrive. They are often encased in concrete and other materials surrounding their trunks, which deteriorates their health and can ultimately lead to their demise.
“What is transpiring is quite alarming. The City Council continues to boast about its tree count and claims to have the finest maintenance service in the Canary Islands, alongside beautifully designed awareness campaigns featuring children. However, these initiatives are merely superficial. The reality contrasts starkly; one only needs to stroll through various streets, avenues, and neighbourhoods, like Ofra, to witness the extensive removals and poor maintenance. Trees should provide substantial shade, shelter, and habitats for birds.
A case in point is the situation in the Orche area, where existing trees have been uprooted and subsequently replaced with new ones. In other parts of the city, however, no replacements occur, leaving only the severed trunks behind.
