The Cabildo de Lanzarote, through the Biosphere Reserve Area, celebrated last Friday in the Villa de Teguise an emotional tribute to the botanist and naturalist Wolfredo Wildpret de la Torre - for years a member of the Council of the Biosphere Reserve (1996-2009) - in recognition of his career and his valuable contribution to scientific research and dissemination of the natural heritage of the Canary Islands.
Samuel Martín, Minister of Environment and the Biosphere Reserve, highlighted the relevance of the figure of Wolfredo Wildpret in the field of research and scientific dissemination. “We pay tribute to a man whose passion for botany and nature has left an indelible mark on the Canary Islands. His work has been essential for the preservation of our natural heritage and his legacy will serve as an inspiration to future generations,” he said in his speech.
The councilor supported the protagonist of the tribute together with a broad representation of Canarian scientists and academics from the professional associations of Medicine, Biology or Pharmacy, among others, as well as family members, university professors and managers of research centers such as Alfredo Reyes from Lanzarote, director of the Acclimatization Garden of La Orotava (known as the Botanical Garden of Puerto de la Cruz).
This recognition of the Biosphere Reserve Area of Lanzarote began with the inauguration in Plaza Camilo José Cela of the first public botanical garden with species from the Canary Islands on the island, a green space that symbolizes Wildpret's legacy and where there is a plaque that now commemorates the event. Subsequently, the tribute continued in the Convent of Santo Domingo, with speeches, videos and musical accompaniment that highlighted his career.
Of impact on the scientific community
For her part, from the Teguise City Council, the mayor Olivia Duque has highlighted the figure of the illustrious botanist and has insisted on the need to “continue defending the safeguarding of the environment and the landscape of Lanzarote and La Graciosa”; and also, “recognize those people who have contributed in an exceptional way to the protection and dissemination of our biodiversity.”
Samuel Martín, before an audience composed of experts from all over the Canary Islands, and even professionals from Germany, thanked the massive attendance and highlighted the collaboration of the Teguise City Council and other environmental organizations and associations. Special mention was made of the team of the Biosphere Reserve office, headed by Ana Carrasco and Juan Cazorla, whom he described as the true engine of affection, sensitivity and commitment that made this tribute to the emeritus professor of Biology at the University of La Laguna possible.
During the ceremony, Wolfredo Wildpret was distinguished with several recognitions. The first was presented by the Teguise City Council, through its Councilor for the Environment, Myriam Jorge Camejo, who was also in charge of welcoming the attendees to the municipality. For its part, the Island Corporation awarded Wildpret the Pancho Lasso Medal of the Cabildo de Lanzarote and two plates by the artist Ruperto Cabrera. In addition, the managing director of the Council of the Biosphere Reserve of Lanzarote, Ana Carrasco, presented him with a commemorative award for the very special event: a red tajinaste sculpted by the artist Rut Cavero, which symbolizes the convergence between science and social commitment and pays tribute to the botanical tradition of the Wildpret family, since the scientific name of this emblematic specimen, Echium wildpretii, honors his great-grandfather, the illustrious botanist Hermann Wildpret.
Along with the authorities, other personalities linked to different facets of Wildpret's professional career took the floor. Among them, two people who shared many years with him in the Biosphere Reserve of Lanzarote: the trade unionist Ramón Pérez Farray, as a member of the Council, and the biologist and researcher Lázaro Sánchez Pinto, as a member of the Scientific Cabinet. Warm words of affection and recognition were also addressed to him by the director of the Botanical Garden of La Orotava, Alfredo Reyes; the biologist and professor of Botany Pedro Luis Pérez de Paz; and the biologist Mario Pérez, who met Wildpret as a student and later coincided with him in academic and political life.
On behalf of the César Manrique Foundation, the head of its Environment Department and representative of the Foundation on the Council of the Biosphere Reserve, Idoya Cabrera, also spoke. “Our institution has
benefited from his wisdom, his balanced advice, his freedom of criteria and his high sense of the common good for more than 30 years, since César appointed him a member of our Advisory Council,” he recalled.
An emotional act
In addition, other people who could not be present sent video messages with their recognition from different parts of the Canary Islands and even from outside Spain. And images were also projected of the planting of the Canarian garden promoted by the Biosphere Reserve and also inaugurated last Friday, in which former students of the honoree participated.
For its part, the family wanted to join this recognition with an endearing video that offered a more personal and human vision of Wolfredo Wildpret, who could not avoid getting emotional during several moments of the event. “It is probably one of the most difficult moments of my life, because after what I have heard and the tears that I have dried with the handkerchief in such emotional moments, it seems that I am in another world,” he began by saying in his speech, in which he recalled anecdotes of his links with Lanzarote, both personal and professional.
In addition, Wildpret made express mention of the space that he was able to rediscover that same morning, in a private visit organized by the Biosphere Reserve to the reforestation area of the Famara summits, within the framework of the project “Optimization of habitat restoration work”, led by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Energy of the Government of the Canary Islands and co-financed by the Canary Islands ERDF Program 2021-2027. “What I have seen today is an authentic jewel of a high level,” highlighted the honoree, who was already decorated with the Golden Crab of the Cabildo in 2009 and in 2016 was designated Biosphere Reference.
