Investment and Project Overview

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 28 Aug. (EUROPA PRESS) – The Cabildo of Tenerife will invest approximately €580,000 to coordinate and oversee the replacement of radiata pine with indigenous monteverde species in areas affected by the 2023 wildfire.

The island corporation has recently approved a contract with the public company Gesplan for the management of this project, which is expected to take 27 months to complete.

Scope of the Works

The project will involve collaborative external oversight of comprehensive forestry work, including specialised technical tasks for the management of forest products and additional restoration efforts for monteverde in areas previously occupied by radiata pine.

Ecological Restoration Efforts

Natural Environment Councillor Blanca Pérez noted that “following the 2023 wildfire, we have made headway in rehabilitating the affected area by restoring vegetation, protecting soil, and rebuilding infrastructure. However, we still face substantial works of considerable scale and technical complexity ahead.”

She added, “We are focusing on reforestation treatments for pine forests and ensuring sustainable management and protection of these woodlands, particularly in terms of forest tracks and sloped terrain work.”

Challenges and Objectives

Pérez emphasised the need to “address the removal of radiata pine in areas that present significant challenges due to steep slopes, access difficulties, and the extraction of remnants, all of which require careful planning.”

Additionally, she explained, “Our aim is to replace radiata pine, an invasive and highly flammable species, with more fire-resistant monteverde species.”

Comprehensive Forestry Work

She continued, “This will necessitate a series of supporting or complementary forestry works in the comprehensive treatment of radiata stands, followed by their restoration with monteverde, which will be conducted by Gesplan under this contract.”

The contract also includes technical assistance for drafting the construction project of a forest plant nursery at the Aguamansa Environmental Centre (La Orotava) and overseeing the construction works, alongside specialised technical tasks related to infrastructure associated with the hydraulic networks managed by the Forest Planning and Projects Technical Service of the Cabildo.