Los Realejos Deploys 'Firefighter Goats' for Wildfire Prevention

The 'firefighter goats' started their first job yesterday in Los Realejos. Their mission: to naturally clear forest paths and trails. A herd of goats was brought to a firebreak, a strip of land between Piedra de Los Pastores and the edge of Teide National Park. Their task is to clear the area to help prevent wildfires, as confirmed yesterday by Alexis Hernández, the Councillor for Environment and Rural Development.

This effort is part of a project called 'Grazing to Protect.' The project uses controlled grazing in these areas, which not only helps local livestock farmers but also naturally removes dry plants and significantly reduces the amount of grass that could easily catch fire, acting as fuel for wildfires.

The project carefully monitors the goat herd and studies their behavior in these grazing areas. They also observe how the landscape changes. The goal is to collect enough information to expand this idea to other parts of the municipality. This aligns with efforts to protect forests and support the traditional practice of livestock farming near forest edges.

Mayor Adolfo González explained that this initiative comes from the Natural Environment and Sustainability department of the Cabildo de Tenerife. It's managed by the public company Gesplan, with support from the city council. The project will run for two months, using a herd of about 70 local goats in the firebreak area. After that, the goats are expected to move to other mid-altitude areas and places where towns meet forests in Los Realejos.

The mayor clarified that this is 'prescribed grazing,' a traditional farming method. The goats are kept in stables overnight and then graze in a controlled way during the day in specific areas.

He added that this measure is one of many initiatives launched over the past two years. These efforts, coordinated between different government bodies, aim to strengthen forest protection and fire prevention.