Natural Spaces
The protection of natural areas with high ecological or scenic value is essential for their conservation.
We believe that the protection of these areas is essential for the tourism sector, as the tourist's choice of the Canary Islands as a destination depends on their good condition.
The promotion to the tourist of these spaces as well as the measures for their correct conservation is vital, as well as a differentiating element.
The hotel La Palma & Teneguía Princess (red circle) has 3 Natura 2000 spaces less than 5 km away. Natura 2000 is a European ecological network of biodiversity conservation areas. Its purpose is to ensure the long-term survival of species and habitat types in Europe, helping to halt the loss of biodiversity. It is the main instrument for nature conservation in the European Union.
The natura 2000 areas close to the hotel are:
This landscape belongs to the western flank of the Cumbre Vieja Ridge, where the historical volcanism has a magnificent representation. It is formed by a landscape of slopes, dotted with recent badlands and topped on the coast by a cliff escarpment, which gives it remarkable beauty. In the lower areas it has excellent tabaibales and transitional vegetation with vines, broom and some scattered pines, the slopes formed by recent lava is only home to lichenic and brophytic communities.
It is a volcanic structure of great geomorphological interest and representative of the island's geology, with very singular elements, samples of most of the episodes of historical volcanism on the island. These values are framed in a landscape environment of great beauty and natural value, with numerous masses of pine forests that are the best guarantee of soil protection and underground hydrological recharge. Both flora and fauna have protected and endangered species such as the Woodwardia radicans fern, some with the best populations in this place.
It is located in the south-southwest area of the island of La Palma. In this space, the marine platform is very narrow, reaching great depths near the coast. It has abrupt bottoms of enormous scenic and biological value with numerous cracks, caves and tunnels of great interest. The rocky substrate shows benthic communities typical of reefs. Its declaration is due to the presence of natural habitats of interest and the species of community interest Caretta caretta (loggerhead turtle) and Tursiops truncatus (bottlenose dolphin).
Not to be missed in the centre of the island of La Palma is the Caldera de Taburiente National Park. Created in 1954 it belongs to the system of national parks of Spain, the highest degree of protection of a natural space in our country. This park is home to a huge cirque of 8 km in diameter, which forms a rugged landscape with almost 2,000 m of unevenness, with a great scenic value.
In addition to an extraordinary geological and geomorphological value, it has a great variety of plant and animal species, including a large number of endemic species. The dominant ecosystem in the Caldera is the pine forest, but on the summits there are also important manifestations of high mountain communities, dominated by more or less xerophytic scrub. The rocky walls and rock crevices are home to a rich rock flora represented by different species of the genera Aeonium, Grenovia and Aichryson. The abundance of springs and watercourses show the important role played by this area in the collection of water and phreatic recharge of the subsoil, evidenced by the existence of extensive willow groves, possibly the best in the Canary Islands. There are also elements of great cultural importance as elements of ethnographic interest and archaeological sites.
Finally mention that the entire island of La Palma is a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. This recognition seeks local and international commitment to the responsible management of natural resources in a way that benefits the people and their environment.
The island is the base of one of the most important astronomical observatories in the world. Promoted by the Biosphere reserve and with the aim of avoiding excessive light pollution, the island has been protected by law, being the first Starlight Reserve in the world.