The only data offered by the Lanzarote Cabildo during the presentation of the Volcanoes Natural Park Management Plan reveals that the Charco de los Clicos (or Charco Verde), in the town of El Golfo, receives 31% more tourists than it can support due to its load capacity.
This capacity determines how many people can access a point of interest before "adverse effects" occur to the environment, to the resident population, or to the environment.
There have been several aggressions to the environment in the Charco Verde, for example, tourists who, skipping the trails and prohibitions, slide down the slope to reach the pond or content creators who ignore the restrictions to obtain a photograph.
According to data provided by the Cabildo, this space receives an average of 2,494 visitors daily. However, it has capacity for 1,897. This tourist center sees 429 tourists every hour, although it is actually prepared to receive 285.
According to these same data, the number of visitors is higher than those who access other places of interest in the area of the Los Volcanes Natural Park, such as the Volcán del Cuervo (with 466 daily visits) or Caldera Blanca (100 daily). However, the Cabildo has only announced, for now, to establish limits in these last two spaces.
These data are obtained from two studies that have not yet been made public.
The mayor of Yaiza, Óscar Noda, scolded the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, two weeks ago for having presented the Management Plan of this natural park without counting on him, as one of the mayors involved.
"I went as an audience to listen, but I had not been invited. This is the problem. They told me that only the issue of Tinajo was going to be discussed, because it already has a subsidy granted for the issue of buses, but it turns out that where there are more visitors is the Charco de los Clicos," explained an annoyed Noda on the morning show Buenos días, Lanzarote on April 12.
"These calls, either you specify them better or go there with two mayors, who are from two political lines, which generates union," added Noda, in allusion to the fact that the mayor of Tinajo, Jesús Machín, is from Coalición Canaria, like Oswaldo Betancort.
For his part, the Councilor of the Biosphere Reserve and Environment of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Samuel Martín, also intervened that same week in the morning show Buenos días, Lanzarote to explain that the control of the load capacity of visitors, initially, will be carried out "through the parking lot".
In a second phase, the "real" load capacity will be done through an electronic device, counting the number of visitors and with the "creation of a fee" for the use of the natural park. In the third part, the vehicles would disappear from the Volcán de El Cuervo and Caldera Blanca and it will be through shuttle buses.
The aforementioned study also includes the load capacity of Los Rodeos-Caldera La Rilla and Montaña Colorada.
Cleaning problems in El Golfo
"Within these Management Plans, the cleaning of El Golfo should also be contemplated," added the mayor of Yaiza, Óscar Noda, who intervened a few weeks ago in the radio program Buenos días, Lanzarote to explain the situation in the natural spaces of the municipality.
In this line, he assured that he has sent cleaning teams from the consistory, waiting for the president of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort, to "fulfill that promise made to the neighbors."
