In 1997 the Cabildo of Tenerife (central administration) started a series of actions aimed at the protection and restauration of Montana roja. Some camping and rambling setting aside sites was regulated, some tracks closed and signs placed. But in the meantime these signs are hardly to find and people behave “as usual”.

Man and dog in feeding area of birds

The lagoon is very important for the birds. You can watch young and adult ones from the distance - until some people come with their dog from the nearby parking place. The lagoon is filled with rubbish. Some people use the sand dunes as garbage dump. No solution will be found for light weight rubbish: Much of it comes right from the ocean, strong wind dries it until it flies over the sand dunes, then in fells into the lagoon, until it passes the lee side.

typical problem in
El Medano ...

But as to me it seems the city starts to handle this problem: Many footpaths are cleaned by mashine daily. Two days after the big storm in April 2002, which flooded the northern parts of the island, huge amounts of rubbish came to the shoreline. But shortly after this several community workers cleaned the beach.

But better notice of the birds, in breeding and feeding areas either is still missing.

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