‘Green corridor’ project aims to conserve Gran Canaria’s unique wildlife
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is pressing ahead with an ambitious environmental project in Tamaraceite aimed at protecting the island’s emblematic giant lizard (Gallotia stehlini), an endemic species of huge ecological and cultural value.
The €305,000 contract includes the creation of rocky shelters, water points, and the planting of 335 native trees and shrubs to provide a safe and thriving space for the reptiles.
The work, scheduled to be completed within three months, will cover a stretch of 22,500 square metres and 600 metres in length along the Tamaraceite ravine.
In addition to improving the lizard’s habitat, the project will also involve removing invasive plant species such as rabo de gato (Pennisetum setaceum), caña común (Arundo donax), ricino (Ricinus communis), and tabaco moro (Nicotiana glauca), replacing them with native plants including tabaibas, cardones, tajinastes, cornicales, guaydiles, dragos, and tarajales.
To encourage public awareness, four wooden information panels will be installed with details about local biodiversity. Concrete blocks will also be embedded in the ground to serve as “life lines” for reptiles, providing safe movement across the area.
The initiative, overseen by the Department of Planning, Urban Development and Housing, has backing from Spain’s Fundación Biodiversidad and is funded through the EU’s Next Generation programme, contributing to a wider €4 million investment in biodiversity.
This is one of the city’s most ambitious environmental undertakings. It will restore almost half a million square metres of land, with the planting of more than 10,000 trees, palms, and shrubs. The 12-kilometre corridor will link natural, rural, and urban areas, integrating walking routes and naturalised pavements across several neighbourhoods, including Siete Palmas, La Minilla, Escaleritas, and Hoya Andrea.
Officials say the project not only protects the island’s unique lizard but also strengthens urban green infrastructure, and connects the city more closely to its natural surroundings, transforming Las Palmas into what the council has described as a true “green paradise.”
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