Tenerife Restores "Green Lung" Monte de Las Mesas
A significant collaborative project has begun in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to restore Monte de Las Mesas to its original warm forest ecosystem, combating climate change and protecting biodiversity over the next decade.
A major project has begun to restore Monte de Las Mesas in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to its original warm forest ecosystem. This effort aligns with the European Union's new Nature Restoration Law and is a significant step towards fighting climate change and protecting biodiversity in a crucial area just outside Tenerife's capital city.
The 'Renatura Monte de Las Mesas' program started two years ago. It's a joint effort by the Moeve Foundation, the Tenerife Island Council (Cabildo de Tenerife), and the local government (through the Santa Cruz Sostenible Foundation), with scientific support from the University of La Laguna (ULL). Monte de Las Mesas, located in Los Campitos, is considered a "green lung" for the city, but it was historically deforested for timber, losing its original plant life.
In 2024, experts studied the climate and mapped out the types of plants that could thrive in the area. These studies helped identify the native plants that had vanished. The replanting will mainly focus on wild olive trees, along with shrubs, junipers, mastic trees, and dragon trees – all typical plants of this warm forest. Botanists also found wild olive trees hundreds of years old in difficult-to-reach spots. These ancient trees helped them figure out what the original forest looked like.
Once the right plants were identified, seeds and cuttings were gathered, and 1,200 new plants have been grown from them. These young plants are now getting used to the environment in a new greenhouse at ULL, built just for this project, before they are planted outside.
A first round of planting started last December, but heavy rains have slowed things down. The team plans to continue planting during spring and autumn. It's thought that the new plants will start to be noticeable within three years, and the forest will be fully restored in about ten years. This highlights the need for a long-term commitment, which all involved parties have promised.
Besides bringing back plants, the project also aims to improve habitats for local animals. Studies have identified eleven animal species in the area, including endangered ones like the Canarian shrew. These animals will benefit from more forest cover for nesting and growth. The project also includes public awareness campaigns, guided nature walks, and symbolic tree plantings, with help from volunteer groups like the Insular Mountaineering Federation of Tenerife and Montañeros de Nivaria. Soon, a website will be launched to share information about the environmental and historical importance of Las Mesas.