Address: C/ Francisco Abreu 9

Telephone: 922 415 417

Email: info@lapalmabiosfera.es

Web: http://www.lapalmabiosfera.es

Description:

The Fundación Canaria Reserva Mundial de la Biosfera La Palma is a public sector entity whose aim is to to ensure the fulfilment of UNESCO's purposes and mandates to all the territories declared as biosphere reserves, through a plural, participatory, transparent and independent management.

In this way, the main purpose is the joint management of the environmental aspects and socio-economic developmentincluding the land stewardship and the voluntary actionsas well as the research and permanent observation, in relation to the sustainability of the territory of the island of La Palma.

La Palma has been a biosphere reserve since 1983. However, on that date, Unesco only recognised 511 hectares of the municipality of San Andrés y Sauces. In spite of being a small area, located in the 'El Canal y Los Tiles' estate, it was the first Spanish island to have this international recognition.

The declared area was extended 15 years later to cover more than 16% of the island's surface. In 1998 the municipalities of Barlovento, Puntallana and, partially, Santa Cruz de La Palma became part of the biosphere reserve.

The definitive date came on 6 November 2002 when Unesco recognised the whole island as a World Biosphere Reserve of La Palma. Two years later, on 12 June 2004, the marine part was incorporated into this recognition. Finally, in 2012, the zoning was updated and extended, increasing the marine area and as a result of this update the biosphere reserve has 87,251 hectares, of which 70,832 hectares on land and 16,419 hectares in the sea.