La Reserva de la Biosfera actualiza su Plan de Acción y constituye un Consejo de Participación

The Biosphere Reserve establishes its Participation Council and agrees to update the Action Plan

Marlene Figueroa thanks the commitment of environmental, business, territorial defense associations, Fishermen’s Guilds, etc urging them to contribute together to a better balance between our nature and the well-being of the people of Fuerteventura

The Biosphere Reserve of Fuerteventura establishes its Participation Council expanding the composition to encompass a wide representation of the island’s associative fabric and with the aim of updating the Action Plan as well as committing and raising awareness among society about the relevance and implications of being and forming part of a Biosphere Reserve.

Environmental associations such as the Arena and Laurisilva Federation, the Chekipa Foundation, Proa Norte, SOS Fuerteventura, Agonane-Ben Magec-Ecologists in Action, Avantfuer, Calderones grises, the Active Tourism Association of Fuerteventura, the Neighbors Association Los Pajeros de Guisguei, the Chamber of Commerce, Excelfuert, Oasis Wildlife, and is open to the incorporation of Fishermen’s Guilds and other actors from Fuerteventura society representing interests linked to the Biosphere Reserve.

The Minister of Tourism, Biosphere Reserve, and Blue Economy of the Fuerteventura Island Council, Marlene Figueroa, welcomed all participants of the Participation Council, especially the new additions, thanking them for their commitment to the defense of sustainability for the island and urging them to contribute to the balance between nature and the well-being of the island’s society.

Those present expressed support for the proposal to declare the Arid Zones and Atlantic Coast National Park of Macaronesia, and positively assessed the actions being carried out to establish an eco-tax in the Natural Parks of Cofete, Corralejo, Lobos, and in the natural Monument of Ajuy.

Similarly, the need to revalue and respect the traditional landscape of the island was also discussed, urging municipal and island public officials to restore native flora, especially the Cardonal de Jandía and the endemisms of Pico de la Zarza.

The Biosphere Reserve of Fuerteventura is currently immersed in a process of updating and developing its Action Plan, in coordination with the rest of the Biosphere Reserves of the Canary Islands and Spain, an action that was also endorsed by the members of the Participation Council.

It was explained from the Biosphere Reserve that one of the main functions of this body is to issue reports on all actions that could impact the Core and Buffer Zones of the Reserve, promote the development of the marine protected area linked to the Reserve, and carry out various actions in the areas of marine litter, plastics, environmental education, ecotourism, reduction of light pollution, and Starlight clear skies, etc.

Likewise, the Biosphere Reserve of Fuerteventura participates in various European programs such as the ECOMARIS project, led by ECOAQUA of the ULPGC (University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) and funded by the INTERREG MAC 2021-2027 Program, which aims to promote sustainable Blue Economy in island territories and involves all island regions included in the cooperation area of the INTERREG MAC 2021-2027 Program: Canary Islands (Spain), Azores (Portugal), Madeira (Portugal), Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe.