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| Canary Islands Biodiversity Centre | |
|---|---|
| Name | Canary Islands Biodiversity Centre |
| Native name | Centro de Biodiversidad de Canarias |
| Established | 2012 |
| Location | Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain |
| Type | Natural history museum, research centre, conservation facility |
Canary Islands Biodiversity Centre is a research and exhibition institution located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The centre serves as a hub for study, conservation and public display of the archipelago's flora and fauna and works with regional, national and international partners to coordinate biodiversity initiatives. It integrates museum collections, laboratory facilities, databases and outreach programs to support species protection across the Macaronesian ecoregion.
The centre functions as a nexus among institutions such as the Cabildo de Tenerife, Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos, Parque Rural de Anaga, Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias, and the Red Canaria de Parques Nacionales in facilitating inventories, monitoring, and exhibitions. It archives specimens linked to expeditions involving organizations like the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (Spain), Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Universidad de La Laguna, and Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Collaborative projects connect the centre to European networks including the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, European Marine Observation and Data Network, LIFE Programme, Interreg, and the European Union's research instruments.
Origins trace to initiatives by the Consejería de Medio Ambiente del Gobierno de Canarias and proposals associated with the Plan de Ordenación del Territorio de Tenerife. Early collections derived from expeditions tied to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the Smithsonian Institution, and twentieth-century collectors documented in archives at the Biblioteca Nacional de España and the Archivo Histórico Provincial de Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Construction and inauguration involved stakeholders including the Ayuntamiento de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the Cabildo Insular de Tenerife, regional politicians from the Partido Popular (Spain) and Socialist Party of the Canaries, and funding instruments connected to the European Regional Development Fund and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional. The centre opened its doors following conservation drives linked to the designation of sites such as Teide National Park, Garajonay National Park, and Teno Rural Park.
Collections comprise entomological series, herbarium sheets, vertebrate specimens, marine invertebrates, and geological samples associated with fieldwork in the Macaronesia islands including La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote. Exhibits highlight taxa and habitats such as endemic laurel forests tied to studies by the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid, reptile displays referencing work on Gallotia lizards, avian cabinets relating to research on blue chaffinch populations, and marine showcases reflecting collaborations with the Instituto Español de Oceanografía and the Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias. The herbarium integrates collections catalogued alongside specimens from the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (Spain) and historical material linked to explorers such as Alexander von Humboldt and collectors associated with the Royal Society.
The centre coordinates programs on endemic species recovery, invasive species control, habitat restoration, and climate change impacts. Projects include monitoring campaigns in partnership with the Instituto Canario de Estadística, genetic studies with the Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO) and the Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca de Canarias, and marine biodiversity assessments with the World Wildlife Fund, BirdLife International, and the Blue Flag tourism scheme stakeholders. It contributes data to global initiatives such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List assessments and collaborates with conservation NGOs like SEO/BirdLife, Fundación Biodiversidad, and the Sociedad Española de Malacología.
Educational programs target schools, universities and tourists through partnerships with the Universidad de La Laguna, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos, and cultural institutions including the Casa de los Coroneles and the Teatro Guimerá. Activities feature workshops co-organized with the Agencia Canaria de Investigación, Innovación y Sociedad de la Información, citizen science initiatives with platforms like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, guided tours linked to the Parque Nacional del Teide interpretive services, temporary exhibitions curated with the Museo de Historia y Antropología de Tenerife, and outreach tied to events such as European Researchers' Night and International Museum Day.
Facilities include climate-controlled collections rooms, molecular genetics laboratories equipped for DNA barcoding, GIS and remote sensing suites interoperable with the Copernicus Programme, cold-storage units for tissue banks, and exhibition halls designed with inputs from architects who have worked on projects at the Palacio de Congresos de Tenerife. The centre's data infrastructure supports integration with repositories like the Atlas of Living Australia analogue initiatives and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and its field equipment fleet services expeditions to protected areas including Montaña Roja Natural Monument and the Chinyero volcanic complex.
Governance frameworks involve agreements among the Cabildo de Tenerife, the Consejería de Política Territorial, Sostenibilidad y Seguridad, municipal councils including the Ayuntamiento de La Laguna, and academic partners such as the Universidad de La Laguna. Funding mixes regional budgets, grants from the European Regional Development Fund, project funding via the LIFE Programme, and philanthropic support from foundations like the Fundación Biodiversidad and private donors active in the archipelago. International collaboration engages agencies including the United Nations Environment Programme and multilateral science initiatives coordinated through the Horizon 2020 and successor European research frameworks.
Category:Museums in Tenerife Category:Natural history museums in Spain Category:Conservation in the Canary Islands