After 20 years...

By Juan Antonio de la Hoz On November 6, 1992, the Government of the Canary Islands agreed to initiate the procedures for the declaration of Lanzarote as a BIOSPHERE RESERVE within the framework of the Unesco MaB (Man and Biosphere) Program. Previously the proposal ...

February 4 2013 (22:02 WET)
By Juan Antonio de la Hoz
On November 6, 1992, the Government of the Canary Islands agreed to initiate the procedures for the declaration of Lanzarote as a BIOSPHERE RESERVE within the framework of the Unesco MaB (Man and Biosphere) Program. Previously the proposal ...

On November 6, 1992, the Government of the Canary Islands agreed to initiate the procedures for the declaration of Lanzarote as a BIOSPHERE RESERVE within the framework of the Unesco MaB (Man and Biosphere) Program. Previously, the proposal had come from the Plenary Session of the Cabildo of Lanzarote on April 26, 1992 and finally, on October 7, 1993, the International Council of the MaB Program declared the island as a Biosphere Reserve.

Our Network of Protected Natural Spaces, our high level of environmental awareness, the work carried out by César Manrique and other illustrious figures, the entry into force of the Lanzarote Island Planning Plan in 1991 and the socio-economic adaptation of our island community to the territory, with extreme climatology, over several centuries, configuring a natural and human space, dispersed in different population centers distributed in a natural landscape of great beauty, created by nature, and another landscape, built by man, contributed to this declaration.

(MAN AND BIOSPHERE). With it, Lanzarote was included in the World Network of Reserves, which has made it possible to increase our environmental quality and the management capacity of our natural resources, promoting actions to achieve a Sustainable Development model and promoting Environmental Education and Research.

After 20 years of various awareness-raising processes, debate and conflicts over land management and tourism, we have to continue working to ensure that the island continues with the basic principles of the LANZAROTE STRATEGY IN THE BIOSPHERE, which are specified in the following objectives:

- Manage with SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT criteria the responsible use of basic environmental and economic resources: territory, water, tourism, energy, transport and waste, through the respective Sectoral Plans.

- Bet on TOURISM QUALITY and the complementary offer, strengthening the brand and tourist destination of the island with new products linked to nature, sports, adventure, the primary sector (ecological agriculture and livestock, fishing), etc., and the integral rehabilitation of the obsolete accommodation offer in tourist centers.

- Develop the Economic Dynamization Strategy that allows economic diversification and innovation, especially linked to RENEWABLE ENERGIES, research, new technologies, social care, culture, leisure, the environment, etc., that generates employment and that supports small and medium-sized businesses, the self-employed and entrepreneurs.

- Reconstruct from the singularity of Lanzarote a CULTURAL IDENTITY open to the world, disseminating our Cultural Heritage so that it is known, conserved and used without risk of degradation.

- Improve SOCIAL COEXISTENCE by leading together a common project of Biosphere Reserve that develops the benefits in Social Welfare, Security and Emergencies, Cultural Coexistence and Island Volunteering.

- Promote the Governing Plans for Use and Management of our Protected Natural Spaces, the protection of the sea and the recovery plans for threatened species, ecosystems, biodiversity and the landscape.

Therefore, after 20 years, we have to commit much more to our Biosphere Reserve, to the Sustainable Development of the island of Lanzarote, La Graciosa and the Archipelago of the Islets and the maintenance of our award, as well as continue to deepen the basic principles of the Lanzarote Biosphere Reserve Strategy.

Juan Antonio de la Hoz González, Councilor of the Biosphere Reserve of the Cabildo of Lanzarote.

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