40 years guarding nature: the story of an inspector from Tenerife

Ignacio Alonso Averó has been working as a nature conservation inspector for 40 years. Since 1985, he has been patrolling the mountains on the island. He initially worked for the state Institute for Nature Conservation, then for the organization that replaced it, and now for the Cabildo of Tenerife. Ignacio speaks modestly but proudly about his extensive experience.

He says that the current 39 inspectors (5 of whom are women) are "not enough." To properly monitor the island's natural areas, twice as many are needed. However, Ignacio believes that "things have improved a lot in recent years" and hopes that the number of inspectors will increase.

Protecting nature is his calling. His father was a forester, and one of Ignacio's three sons also works in the island's firefighting team. Ignacio currently works at the La Cruz del Carmen visitor center in the Anaga Rural Park. He says he looks good for his 60 years thanks to genetics: his father died at 97, and his mother is already 100!

Initially, Ignacio worked in Santa Cruz de la Palma, then in Vilaflor, and then in Anaga. With the creation of the nature conservation service, they began to deal not only with forests but with the entire territory.

Ignacio recalls going north with his father as a child: "I saw him put on his uniform and go to work in an old Land Rover, and sometimes even in his own car. I would ask him to take me with him." By the age of 12, he loved the smell of the mountains, especially the smell of broom. "I thought: I want to do that too," says Ignacio. And he achieved his goal.

He is constantly learning new things because he believes that self-education and knowledge shared by colleagues (geographers and other specialists) are very important. Ignacio understands that there are now better tools and resources, but field experience remains the most important, especially on such a complex island.

Nature conservation inspectors perform many different tasks. In the Anaga Rural Park, they also work in the Anaga Biosphere Reserve. Ignacio emphasizes that they protect natural resources, flora and fauna, as well as archaeological sites. In addition, they are involved in forestry, control hunting, ensure that people use nature correctly, conduct environmental lessons, and disseminate information. This is the basis of their work.

The service is divided by territory. Foresters work in the area around Teide, up to an altitude of about 1,000 meters. And ecologists, to whom Ignacio belongs, work from that altitude to the seashore.

Ignacio Alonso heads the inspectors in the Anaga Rural Park. It is a very popular place, the second most visited on the island after Teide National Park. The La Cruz del Carmen visitor center receives over 100,000 people a year. And that's just those who enter the center, how many people just pass by! Ignacio reminds us that although they work in natural areas, their work extends to the entire countryside and covers the entire island.

Ignacio is grateful to the Cabildo for recently recognizing his work. He says it is a "nice gesture" because their profession is often associated with isolation and modesty. He emphasizes that they have a uniform, the authority of government officials, and can impose fines. "We are a special administrative and judicial police force, like other law enforcement officers," he adds. Ignacio reminds us that they draw up reports of violations of environmental regulations. A unit has also been created to liaise with the prosecutor's office. This is the least pleasant part of the job, but it is also necessary.

Regarding Teide National Park, Ignacio believes that, as in other areas, more inspectors are needed there. But coordination with other services has improved significantly. As in Anaga, the issue of transport needs to be resolved. "If I consider Teide to be something of my own, I must take care of it as if it were my children," says Ignacio. He also emphasizes the importance of cooperation with citizens.

Ignacio recalls the great forest fire of 2023: "I experienced it with anxiety and excitement, like most people, and followed the work of the firefighters." He adds that since 2015, he has always been involved in the prevention and extinguishing of forest fires. He wanted to be on the front lines, and he felt a certain helplessness, but he was confident that his comrades would stop the fire.

The profession of inspector is dangerous: "We often work in remote places, and often alone due to a lack of people. Imagine meeting an armed poacher." Fortunately, there have been no physical attacks, but there have been plenty of verbal ones. This is the work of a nature protector on the island.