The proliferation of invasive species has become, together with the destruction and alteration of habitats, the main cause of loss of global biodiversity, becoming one of the most important problems which conservation policies face today.
Tenerife is the island with the highest number of exotic species present of the Archipelago. According to the latest available data, around 1,200 of the species present are not native to the island and a significant percentage of these could naturalise and behave in an invasive manner, affecting the island's biodiversity.
Some examples of invasive species are the century plant, opuntias or the common reed, which were established centuries ago on the islands and which traditionally had many uses. Once they were no longer useful, they were set aside, as was traditional agriculture; this caused the dispersion of said species, which now occupy large natural areas.
Another more recent and well-known example is the invasion of crimson fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum), widely spread throughout the island in recent years, becoming feral in the 70s after its use in gardening.
The Tenerife Island Council, through the Biodiversity Unit of the Environmental Department, is in charge of coordinating prevention actions to avoid new invasions, as well as the control and eradication of invasive species which affect the island biota.
Associated Documents
- Guidelines for the correct elimination of crimson fountain grass(PDF - 1.11 Mb).
- Informative video: Crimson fountain grass control
- Informative video: Cactaceae
- Informative video: Invasive plants
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