New meeting of the Fataga Working Group (Gran Canaria)

Almost a year on from the last visit with all the relevant authorities for a joint on-site review of the project’s activities, on this occasion the chosen format was to hold a further meeting of the Working Group responsible for the Fataga project area. These working groups facilitate the provision of up-to-date information to local residents and enable them to communicate directly with project managers and representatives of local and island authorities, thereby fulfilling the governance objectives adopted by LIFE Phoenix.

The meeting brought together around twenty attendees, including residents from the villages of Arteara and Fataga, as well as representatives from the Gran Canaria Island Council and GESPLAN. During the two-hour meeting, a comprehensive review was carried out of the latest actions undertaken, the needs that arose following Storm Therese in March 2026, and the residents’ priority requests relating to the current phase of the project.

Some of the key points discussed included issues such as the repair of tracks and embankments, the removal of abandoned vehicles from the ravine and the improvement of urban solid waste management, coordination for the management of other types of forestry waste and pruning debris, the prevention of fires and flash floods through the control of reed beds, water management in the ravine and planning reforestation initiatives using endemic species, as well as the control of diseases and pests affecting palm groves.

The regular facilitation of these working groups is regarded as a key governance tool for the effective planning and long-term maintenance of all the work undertaken as part of the LIFE Phoenix project.