The San Bartolomé City Council The San Bartolomé Theater hosted this Saturday an emotional tribute to Domingo Concepción García, a biologist, teacher, researcher, and one of the great references in the knowledge and defense of Lanzarote's natural heritage, who passed away in May 2025.
The memorial, held precisely on the day Domingo Concepción would have turned years old, brought together family, friends, institutional representatives, former students, colleagues, and people linked to his career, in a day dedicated to remembering his life, his commitment to the conservation of the territory, and his important scientific dissemination work.
The initiative, promoted by the organizing committee of the tribute, had the collaboration of the city councils of San Bartolomé and Tías and the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, and it allowed to highlight the figure of a resident of San Bartolomé whose career was closely linked to the study and protection of the island's biodiversity.
The mayor of San Bartolomé, Isidro Pérez, highlighted during the event that “Domingo was a biologist, teacher, researcher, disseminator, and a firm defender of our natural heritage, but before all that, he was a man from San Bartolomé. A neighbor who took the name of this municipality far beyond its limits and who left a deep mark on Lanzarote”.
Pérez also pointed out that “the best way to pay tribute to Domingo is to continue defending what he defended: knowledge, environmental education, the conservation of our heritage, and a Lanzarote capable of advancing without losing what makes it unique”.
A life dedicated to the knowledge and defense of nature
Born in San Bartolomé on August 22, 1959, Domingo Concepción graduated in Biology from the University of La Laguna in 1984. He later developed an extensive teaching career at the Lanzarote University School of Tourism (EUTL), while also carrying out research and dissemination work related to the environment, agriculture, flora, protected areas, hiking, and impact studies.
One of his main lines of work was the study of the avifauna of Lanzarote and the Chinijo Archipelago, a discipline to which he dedicated a large part of his career and in which he contributed to generating an important documentary and knowledge base about the islands' birds.
His commitment to environmental outreach also led him to participate since the late eighties in conferences, hiking activities, and actions aimed at schoolchildren, young people, and adults, bringing Lanzarote's natural heritage closer to different generations.
His defense of the territory was also reflected in his connection with the environmental movement and, especially, with the Cultural and Environmental Association El Guincho, of which he was president between 1998 and 2002 and from which he actively participated in the protection of the island's environment and natural heritage.
Likewise, he was a member of the Spanish Ornithological Society since 1992 and carried out work as a bird bander, reaching the category of expert bander in 2005. He also participated in different works related to inventories, protected areas, and special protection zones for birds.
In recognition of this career, he received the Biosphere Reference Award 2016 from the Cabildo de Lanzarote, a distinction that highlighted his contribution to the knowledge and conservation of the island's nature.
The councilor for Culture of San Bartolomé, Carmen Medina, highlighted that “this tribute allows us to remember Domingo from all his facets, but especially from his condition as a man committed to the culture, knowledge, and identity of our land. His legacy is already part of the collective memory of Lanzarote and it is everyone's responsibility to contribute to ensuring that it continues to be known by new generations”.
A tribute through memory and legacy
The event began with the inauguration of the exhibition ‘Las Cosas de Mingo’, which allowed the public to get closer to different aspects of the honoree's personal and professional life and career. Subsequently, a minute of silence was observed, followed by speeches from institutional representatives, family members, and people who shared different stages of his life.
The program included the screening of the documentary ‘In Memory of the Birds’, as well as speeches by Gines Díaz and Tony Rodríguez, the reading of the poem A Song to Domingo Concepción García, by Inés Caraballo, and the participation of Miguel Tejera and Gustavo Cruz.
Students and professors from the Lanzarote University School of Tourism also participated, an institution where Domingo developed part of his teaching activity, in addition to the screening of the video ‘A Minute for Mingo’ and a presentation by the honoree’s family.
During the tribute, not only his scientific and outreach contribution was highlighted, but also his personal dimension, his close relationship with San Bartolomé, and his commitment to the defense of an island whose natural heritage he considered a collective responsibility.
The San Bartolomé City Council also wished to convey its recognition to the family of Domingo Concepción and to all the people, groups, and institutions that made this meeting possible, which allowed the memory of a neighbor whose passion for nature, his commitment, and his legacy continue to inspire those who work for the conservation of Lanzarote to be kept alive.
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