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Habitats and species of interest

The Canary pine forest

The pine forests of Inagua, Ojeda and Pajonales constitute some of the most important woodlands of the island, allowing us to consider them the most representative of the dry pine forests of Gran Canaria, for their high standard of conservation and their floral richness. This, along with housing the headwaters of several important ravines (Mulato, Mogan,etc.), gives it a fundamental role in subterranean hydric refill and conservation of the soil. The fauna and flora of the area include a number of endangered endemics present in the key categories of Habitat Directive and Birds Directive, some of which have here their best populations.

The geographical location of this vegetal formation corresponds to a mountainous massif located on the west of the island of Gran Canaria, which constitutes a geographical unit formed by a mountain range which stretches from the Morro de los Almaicenes to the east, to the Montaña de Inagua to the west. This area is comprised of geological materials for ancient shield building which occupied this part of the island making it of great scientific, geological and geomorphological interest as well as boasting a spectacular landscape.

The average annual temperature is around 16º C varying widely both seasonally and daily, the rain gauge shows the maximum in Autumn and Winter, the annual total being around 300-400mm.

The dominant plant community in the area is an open pine forest of Pinus canariensis. The composition, this pine forest varies according to the altitudinal gradient and to its exposition depending on the position of the slopes. The lowest areas endure elevated temperatures and very little rain, which conditions the development of poor undergrowth where the predominant species is spurge (Euphorbia regis-jubae), together with viper’s bugloss (Echium onosmifolium), verode (Kleinia neriifolia), lavender (Lavandula minutolii), etc.

Pino Canario
Pino Canario

Above 1000m temperatures drop and rain increases, favouring better development of the forest. The shrub stratum of the western zone has the Montpelier cistus (Cistus monspeliensis) as a characteristic species substituted by the rock rose (Cistus horrens) at higher levels; and that which covers the eastern zone, the area most favoured by the influence of humidity and the trade winds, where other species such as laburnum (Adenocarpus foliosus), various thymes (Micromeria sp.), Marguerite daisy (Argyranthemun adauctum canariense), yellow broom (Retama sphaerocarpa), canary mint shrub (Bystropogon origanifolius), etc.

Among the areas of most floral interest are the Andenes de Inagua, characterized by the great bearing of the specimens of pine that grow on the crags and by the exclusiveness of some of the species that are found here, such as the Helianthrmun inaguae.

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