The Lanzarote Cabildo, through its Environment Department, has imposed a serious administrative sanction on a company organizing tourist excursions in buggy-type vehicles, for driving in a convoy within the Los Ajaches Natural Monument, in the municipality of Yaiza.
The infraction, detected by the environmental agents of the Cabildo last July during an inspection service in the aforementioned protected natural space and special protection area for birds, has been classified as serious and carries a fine of 4,500 euros, in accordance with current regulations on territorial and environmental protection.
This type of practice generates direct impacts on the fauna and ecosystems of protected areas. The circulation of motor vehicles in natural areas causes soil compaction, erosion, and damage to vegetation, affecting the overall habitat balance. The most sensitive species, such as the Canarian houbara and other steppe birds listed as vulnerable or endangered, can suffer alterations in their feeding, reproduction, and displacement habits. These actions put the integrity of a protected area of high ecological and heritage value at risk and are incompatible with the conservation objectives of the Canary Network of Protected Natural Areas and the Natura 2000 Network.
The president of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort, has valued the sanction as "an exemplary measure that demonstrates the firm will of this institution to enforce the law and protect Lanzarote's natural heritage". "We cannot allow," Betancort adds, "the territory to be degraded irresponsibly or unauthorized activities to deteriorate our landscapes. Lanzarote cannot be understood without its nature, and defending it is a collective obligation."
The island Corporation reminds that organized tourist excursions in buggies, quads, or caravan safaris are prohibited on rural land and in protected natural areas, as there is no official network of approved routes for these types of vehicles.
In this regard, the Minister of Environment, Samuel Martín, emphasizes that "the circulation of quads, 4x4s, or buggies without authorization not only erodes agricultural roads or kicks up dust: it poses a real risk to biodiversity and affects particularly fragile species. The hubara bustard, for example, may abandon breeding grounds due to the continued presence of noise and traffic, compromising its survival."Martín adds that "these practices are expressly prohibited without the specific authorization of the Ministry, and any infraction carries legal responsibilities and sanctions. It is not about limiting for the sake of limiting, but about ensuring that any activity is carried out in an orderly and sustainable manner, respecting the natural values that make places like Los Ajaches unique."Finally, the institution calls for the responsibility of companies, visitors, and citizens to contribute to the preservation of the island territory. "This island is not a race track. It is a unique space that we must care for with common sense and respect. Lanzarote is protected by all of us," concludes President Oswaldo Betancort
