Tenerife Council Approves Teide National Park Management Transfer

The Tenerife Island Council has agreed to take over the management of Teide National Park. Today, the council officially approved a report on a new decree, which the Canary Islands Government plans to pass by the end of the year. Once this happens, the Island Council will be responsible for the park's day-to-day running, including its administration, management, and handling any rule-breaking through investigations, inspections, and penalties. This transfer also includes the park's staff, buildings (like visitor centers and offices), vehicles, documents, IT equipment, and more than 7.3 million euros in funding.

This is a crucial step to finalize a process that began in 2015. It means the council will now have permanent 'transferred' powers, replacing the temporary 'delegated' ones. The local authorities believe this change is vital for better protecting Teide and managing its activities.

Last January, the Canary Islands Government's budget confirmed that the park's responsibilities would be transferred to the Island Council. However, the regional government will still be in charge of creating and approving the main Master Plan for Use and Management, as well as developing new laws and regulations. It will also continue to coordinate and ensure consistency across all national parks in the Canary Islands, including Teide, especially concerning their overall image and standards.

José Miguel Ruano, the Island Council's second Vice-Councillor and also responsible for the Presidency, has been a key figure in this process, which he admits took longer than expected. He believes that moving from temporary to permanent powers will largely solve ongoing issues with security, control, and monitoring in the park. Teide is a 190-square-kilometer protected natural area, designated a national park in 1964 and a World Heritage Site in 2010. Its delicate nature is further challenged by more than five million visitors each year.

One major benefit of this transfer is the ability to assign more staff to the park. Currently, there are only four park rangers (environmental agents).

Ruano admits that Teide needs much more efficient management, and this transfer provides the means to achieve it. With improved surveillance and control as a key goal, the Island Council has already approved a new staffing plan. This plan, which is awaiting the final transfer decree, will increase the number of park rangers from three to 17. To manage the park effectively, the council needs adequate staff, resources, and legal authority.

This development follows the recent approval of the new Master Plan for Use and Management (PRUG), which was published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands on the 6th. Its quick inclusion in today's council meeting ensures it will be approved by the Governing Council of the Canary Islands on either the 23rd or 29th of the month. After that, it will be published in the BOC and become effective 20 days later.

The transfer includes the park's current staff of 31 workers (12 civil servants and 19 contract employees), along with 20 vehicles and 22 pieces of communication equipment.

The Island Council will also receive 1,520 books and 4,577 other works from the Telesforo Bravo Center, which specializes in environmental science. The transfer also covers thirteen properties, including the Las Cañadas del Teide visitor center.

The draft decree outlines the annual funding for this transfer, which totals 7,320,931 euros. It also details the payment to Tragsa for managing the Telesforo Bravo center in 2026. The overall budget for Teide National Park next year is 9.98 million euros, which includes the 7.3 million euros from these transferred responsibilities.