The most important Canarian laurel forests
If you are looking for a holiday destination with great diversity in nature and where you can go hiking, the Canary Islands should be your next destination.
The vast majority of the Canary Islands offer a wide range of activities to do in nature and the ideal place to do them is in the laurel forests.
In this post I am going to show you a selection of the best Canarian laurel forests in the Canary Islands.
Canary Island Laurisilva
More than 20 million years ago, Laurisilva forests covered a large part of the Mediterranean basin in the Tertiary period. However, due to glaciations in the Quaternary period, these subtropical forests moved to more temperate areas: North Africa and the Macaronesian archipelagos.
We are therefore talking about a living relic because of its survival throughout history.
Laurisilva refers to the term laurel forest. The Canary laurel forest is a type of laurel forest found in humid subtropical forests and is very present in a large part of the Canary Islands. It is made up of various laurel tree species and together with the Fayal-Brezal, forms the Monteverde.
It is characterised by its deep soils and its location between 600 and 1,500 metres above sea level, which is why it is more present on the islands at higher altitudes. The environmental conditions for this type of forest are an average annual temperature of 15 to 20 degrees and rainfall of 500 to 1100 mm.
On the other hand, thanks to the "sea of clouds", a natural phenomenon created by the trade winds, this type of forest is formed on most of the islands. The humidity generated by this phenomenon is beneficial for the Canary laurel forest, as the sea of clouds means that the soil is constantly soaked and dripping.
This type of forest can be found mainly on four of the Canary Islands: Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and Gran Canaria.
Laurisilva forests in Tenerife
The island of Tenerife is the largest of the Canary archipelago and has a great variety of protected areas and natural environments. In addition, it has the highest point of Spain: the peak of Teide.
The largest presence of laurel forests on the island can be found in the Anaga Rural Park and the Teno Rural Park.
Anaga Rural Park
The Anaga Rural Park is located in the northeast of the island of Tenerife and covers an area of more than 14,000 hectares. As it is so large, it is shared by three municipalities of the island: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Laguna and Tegueste.
In this park you can find a wide variety of viewpoints and trails or routes to do in the middle of nature. The starting point for most of these trails is Cruz del Carmen.
Anaga has thelargest area of laurel forest in Tenerife, which has been preserved by having a rugged terrain and difficult access on foot (in several parts).
Once you enter this laurel forest, you will be able to see different types of trees such as laurels, lichens, heathers, colchon ferns, lime trees, mountain ferns and vinatigos. You will also be able to see with your own eyes how a mist gradually spreads across the paths.
Also, it is worth mentioning that, for bird lovers or birdwatchers, the Anaga Park is a special protection area for birds. One of the most important for the biology of the park is the laurel pigeon, known as the turquoise pigeon.
Note:
If you are passionate about hiking, you should know that in Cruz del Carmen you will find an information office about everything you have and can do in the park. One of the most famous trails is the Sendero de los Sentidos, which is characterised by its low level of difficulty and the use of our senses to get to know the nature that surrounds the path.
to follow on your holidays?
Don't miss the La Laurisilva PharmacyExperience
Enjoy the secrets of the medicinal plants found in the laurisilva forest of the Garajonay National Park.
If you want to live a unique and environmentally friendly experience, and also get to know the Garajonay National Park with an official guide, book your place for a guidedtour.
Teno Rural Park
The Teno Rural Park is located towards the northwest of the island of Tenerife, in the municipality of Buenavista del Norte. This park sits on a volcanic massif known as the Teno Massif, which occupies an area of just over 8,000 hectares from the coast to the summits.
This park has a great variety of vegetation, where the laurel forest located on the highest peaks stands out. One of the laurel forest that stands out from this park is the one known as Monte del Agua.
The Monte del Agua is one of the most important laurel forests in the Teno Rural Park, which covers an area of around 800 hectares and is located between 600 and 1,200 metres above sea level.
The laurel forest thatMonte del Agua has is the second most important in the whole island of Tenerife, due to its high ecological value given by the different species of flora and fauna it has.
This laurel forest can be found on the deepest slopes of the Los Cochinos, Bucarón and Cuevas Negras ravines.
One of the best trails for walking in the laurel forest itself is the circular trail of Erjos, which joins up with the Portelas. Once you get into the forest, you will be able to enjoy the variety of bushes, of which the tabaibas and retamas stand out.
Laurel forest on La Gomera
La Gomera is one of the smallest islands in the Canary archipelago, with a surface area of 369.76 km2. It is the ideal island to practice trekking, due to its great natural heritage.
On La Gomera, the laurel forest is located in the Garajonay National Park, which has an extension of almost 4,000 hectares.
National Garajonay Park
Garajonay National Park constitutes one of the natural parks in Europe with the largest extension of laurel forest, which to avoid its possible loss, was protected under the declaration of World Heritage by UNESCO in 1986.
The laurel forest found in this national park covers more than 85% of the park's surface area. Here you will be able to see a large number of different plant species such as laurels, persea vinatigos, tiles, aceviños, palos blancos and durillos.
Once you get into the monteverde you will also find a wide variety of fauna, including amphibians, reptiles, birds and insects. But the most characteristic species of this laurel forest is the wood pigeon and the turkey dove.
It should also be added that the Garajonay National Park is the ideal place to connect with nature, due to its large natural spaces and its wide range of activitiesThe park offers a wide range of paths and trails and incredible viewpoints from which you can contemplate this authentic natural jewel.
By the way, don't miss my article on the Legend of Gara and Jonay, which gives its name to this park.
Laurisilva forest on La Palma
The island of La Palma is the fifth largest island in the Canary Islands, with an area of 708.32 km2. It is also known as La Isla Bonita (The Beautiful Island), due to its great natural wealth that amazes you the moment you see it.
On La Palma, the largest presence of laurel forest is to be found in the Natural Park of Las Nieves, which occupies an area of just over 5,000 hectares, making it the third largest natural park in the Canary Islands.
Las Nieves Natural Park
The Las Nieves Natural Park covers an area that includes three municipalities of La Palma: Puntallana, San Andrés y Sauces and Santa Cruz de la Palma.
The Bosque de los Tilos consists of the laurel forest of the island of La Palma. Due to the great natural heritage it preserves, it was declared the first Biosphere Reserve in the whole of the Canary Islands.
Once you get into the Tilos' woodland, you will have the opportunity to contemplate a Canarian flora rich in trees and plants such as tiles, palos blancos, laurels, viñátigos, strawberry trees, wild orange trees, barbuzanos, aceviños, fayas, heathers, woodwardia radicans, peralillos and giant ferns.
In this natural area you can find the Canal and Los Tilos, forests declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1983.
On the other hand, alluding to its fauna, you will be able to contemplate and hear the rabbit and turkey doves . As you can see, they are typical of these Canarian laurel forests.
It is also worth mentioning that, due to the characteristics of the island and its high presence of green natural resources, it is usually the island where there is more rainfall. This allows for the favourable conservation of this laurel forest and, taking this into account, we can find in its interior several natural waterfalls such as the one found at The Nacientes de San Marcos and Cordero.
Laurisilva forest in Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is the third largest island of the Canary Islands, with an area of 1560 km2. It is the ideal island for those looking for a good sun and beach holiday, with its incredible dunes found in Maspalomas.
The laurel forest can be found in the Bosque de Los Tilos de Moya, which is located in the Selva de Doramas. Unfortunately, there are only small areas of laurel forest, as in the 19th century, large forests were cut down in order to obtain wood.
Los Tilos de Moya Forest
The forest of Los Tilos de Moya is the last reserve of laurel forest in Gran Canaria, due to the deforestation suffered in the Doramas Forest.
This laurel forest is located in the Barranco de Moya and covers an area of 91 hectares.
Taking into account the natural resources that this forest possesses, as well as a search for their correct conservation and preservation, it was granted the title of Special Natural Reserve of Los Tilos.
Once you enter this forest you will be able to observe several endemic species of its fauna such as the common finch, the common buzzard, the alpispa, the robin and the kestrel.
According to its vegetation we can observe a great presence of linden trees, barbusanos, bicácaros and cresta de gallo.
As you can see, the Canary Islands have a rich natural heritage. Many visitors to these spectacular laurel forests say that they remind them of the forests of fairy tales.
What do you think? Have you already been to one of them? Would you like to do a trail in one of them? Leave us a comment.
