Tenerife is set to roll out a groundbreaking pilot project that uses herds of goats and sheep as a natural solution to reduce the risk of wildfire.
This unique approach involves controlled grazing on abandoned farms, allowing the animals to clear flammable vegetation in mid-level and border areas, acting as natural "firefighters."
The President of the Tenerife Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, announced the initiative, which will have a €90,000 investment, and is scheduled to start later this year.
Managed by the public company Gesplan, the project will first identify suitable lands and collaborate with livestock associations to target regions with high fire hazards near populated and forestal areas.
The scheme is part of a project launched in June 2024 called the Tenerife Medianity Plan, which aims to achieve several goals: minimising the risk of fire spreading, assessing the effectiveness of herbivores in land management, and providing livestock with new grazing areas.
Dávila emphasised the urgency of the project following the devastating forest fire of 2023, which highlighted the dangers of neglected agricultural plots near mountainous areas.
The Medianity Plan is a crucial element in the island's strategy to enhance natural and agricultural biodiversity while safeguarding communities and infrastructure.
