Page 11 - Demo

December 2025 | Gazette Life | 11the chicken coops where various strains of poultry bred on the islands are kept %u2013 in the day, many are allowed to roam free, and they flutter and peck around our feet. There are plots devoted to wild local plants such as the tabaiba and verode, a small orchard of fig trees and a large mesh greenhouse containing pitaya plants %u2013 a relatively new crop that seems ideal for cultivation on Lanzarote. Elsewhere, there are large plots where crops are being sown and cultivated by local community associations and disabled groups. A large mesh greenhouse contains the butterfly room, where monarchs flutter around or poise themselves on the greenery. This, claims Samuel, is a big favourite among the children who visit the centre. Finally, we enter a refrigerated room containing bags and sacks of peas, lentils, grain and beans, as well as dried pumpkins and squashes. This is the island%u2019s seed bank, where Samuel explains that farmers can request seeds for crops that have traditionally been grown on the island.%u201cPROTECTION, NOT PROHIBITION%u201d We also asked Samuel Mart%u00edn, in his capacity as Environment Councillor, about the measures that are underway to protect natural spaces such as the Natural Park at Timanfaya and Las Grietas, which are threatened by the increasing number of tourists heading %u201coff the beaten track%u201d.Holding up his smartphone, he says %u201cThis is the problem%u201d, before explaining that carparks in the Natural Park, near sites such as the Volc%u00e1n del Cuervo and Caldera Blanca, will be closed off, with access only available via a shuttle bus service operating from Mancha Blanca. Workers are also busy eliminating many of the tracks and paths that have been created by hikers on the sides of volcanoes and elsewhere, leaving just one route. But doesn%u2019t limiting access to these areas also affect local residents who have been enjoying the landscapes for years? Samuel replies %u201cWe don%u2019t want to prohibit, but we need to protect. The vast majority of tourists are respectful of the environment, but inevitably there are some who aren%u2019t. But it%u2019s not a locals versus tourists issue: people who live here can be every bit as irresponsible.%u201dHe explains that while there may be reserved spaces for residents on the shuttle buses, the new restrictions will apply to everyone %u2013 a consequence of the increased population on the island and new models of tourism.Calle Gin%u00e9s de Castro, 12 - 3%u00b0, 35500 Arrecife - LanzaroteTel: (+34) 928 815 262 l info@lanzarotelawyers.com l www.lanzarotelawyers.comEnglish Speaking SolicitorsJorge de la Cueva TerrerEileen Izquierdo LawlorMario Izquierdo Lawlor%u2022 Spanish Wills and advice on English Wills %u2022 Litigation %u2022 Family Law%u2022 Conveyancing and transfers of lease %u2022 Personal Liability %u2022 Specialists in Holiday Letting Law and Holiday Let Registration.%u2022 Company Law %u2022 Assistance with Local AuthoritiesEstablished since 1986 ~ Serving you on Lanzarote for over 40 years