Anaga Rural Park
When it comes to treasures, the Canary Islands hide an infinite amount of them. The Rural Park of Anaga is one of those treasures of nature located on the island of Tenerife and today we will discover more about this wonderful place.
Anaga Rural Park, location
As we have said in the previous section, the Anaga Rural Park is a Treasure of infinite wonders that is located on the island of Tenerife, in the Mazizo de Anaga. This park has been declared a Biosphere Reserve for its incredible natural resources and is a site that you will definitely want to visit and never leave.
Therefore, if you want to go, you should know that it is located in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and occupies several of the municipalities of the island, since its extension is truly large and of course, diverse in landscapes.
Among the municipalities it occupies are La Laguna, Tegueste and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
How to get to the Anaga Rural Park
To get to the park you can do it in several ways. Keep in mind that you will find different terrains and a very particular geomorphology, so be prepared.
You can access the Rural Park of Tenerife with your own car, with a taxi through one of the routes made by the TITSA buses or also arriving at the nearest town by public transport and from there you can embark on the adventure walking the entire path.
By car it can be accessed following the TF-12 road and you can choose between two quite important points: from San Cristobal de La Laguna and from Las Teresitas Beach. From both points, the route is basically in circles, so you have to be quite careful with the curves.
From the Lagoon, clockwise you will find the Visitor Center of the Anaga Rural Park after a few kilometers of travel, there you can receive information about the park.
By taxi it is a little more expensive but basically the route is the same as in your own car. The TITSA buses also make several routes from different lines and to different points of the Anaga Rural Park.
Natural Diversity of the Anaga Rural Park
Whenyou know the different alternatives to get to the Anaga Rural Park, we have reached one of the most exciting points of this article, it is about the natural diversity that exists in this wonderful park.
Before we begin to describe it, we want to highlight that this Park was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 2015 and is considered a protected natural area, so you will see the special care that is taken to this beautiful treasure of the island of Tenerife.
In addition to this, the Mazizo is the area with the most endemic species in both flora and fauna
Below we will show you a little more of whatyou will find while you make the tour of the Anaga Rural Park.
Flora
We start with the flora of the park, one of the largest natural reserves that has a number of micro worlds or ecosystems that allow the growth of unique species of the island and others brought by man that have developed in the terrain variant around the massif.
Among the most characteristic species of the Park resonates the most significant, the so-called laurel forest of summits, which can be found in the highest areas of the Park.
On the other hand, in the medium areas you can find the characteristic juniper trees, dragon trees and imposing palm trees. Further down, at the beginning of the tour you will actually notice the abundance of cardonales-taibales and also taibas and cardones.
In addition to this, those micro worlds that we name, are hidden in the integral natural reserves within the Park, among which are the reserve of El Pajiral with more than 300 hectares of extension, the Ijuana, and the Roques de Anaga. All of them with wonderful species and a diverse vegetation.
Fauna
We move on to the fauna that is in the Rural Park of Anaga and is that while you are walking through its incredible climbs, you will not only find plants and colors of the vegetation that will serve you for good postcards, but you will also find a diverse reserve of animal species, which hopefully you can photograph and take a great memory.
First of all, one of the important features of the Rraul de Anaga Park is that it has been declared a special protection area for birds so you will see in every corner a beautiful species. Among those that abound the laurel pigeons, which inhabit the forest of this natural space, serving this also as a fundamental habitat for their biology.
Characteristics of the Anaga Rural Park
In addition to the flora and fauna rich in endemic species and others common on other sides of the island of Tenerife and the archipelago in general, the Anaga Rural Park has very particular characteristics that give life to this beautiful nature reserve.
It is important to note that its value being an area of special care and biosphere reserve, is due to the fact that the Anaga area is one of the oldest areas of the island of Tenerife.
In addition, currently both its natural riches and the culture that surrounds the Anaga Rural Park makes it a space of great importance not only in landscapes, but also socially.
Below we will tell you more about the most important features of the Anaga Rural Park.
Geomorphology
Geomorphological features are quite versatile and marked. Starting with the paleontological sites that will attract the interest of scientists and visitors and from which you will obtain information when you arrive at the Visitor Center of the Anaga Rural Park. You will also find spaces that due to their characteristics were used by the aborigines for grazing and other activities.
Beaches
We do not lie when we say that diversity is one of the characteristics of the Anaga Rural Park and this is evidenced in the fact that the beaches are part of this giant nature reserve. The Ijuana beach, is the one that stars in this aspect, it is located at the foot of the ravine of the Integral Natural Reserve that bears the same name.
It is characterized by its black sand and its callaos. You can see it from the massif, but to access you must do it by boat since on foot it is quite complicated and even risky because of its large cliffs.
Relief
The island has 140 km2 in which the relief can reach 100 m in height with quite different slopes that vary between 300 and 500 m per km2.
Population
Within the Park there are small groups that make up its population and that of course make it possible to maintain it. It is currently made up of approximately 2500 people distributed in 26 settlements.
Economic activity
Economic activity has three aspects: agriculture, livestock and handicrafts. Among agriculture, the cultivation of tomato, potato, sweet potato, lettuce and various types of fruits is common. There are also several vineyards with specific systems and technologies for annual production.
As for livestock, bobino, goats, pigs and birds are the focus of this activity.