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| Corona Forestal Natural Park | |
|---|---|
| Name | Corona Forestal Natural Park |
| Native name | Parque Natural de la Corona Forestal |
| Photo caption | View toward Pico del Teide |
| Location | Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain |
| Nearest city | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Area km2 | 46.6 |
| Established | 1987 |
| Governing body | Cabildo de Tenerife |
Corona Forestal Natural Park
Corona Forestal Natural Park is a protected landscape encircling the volcanic summit complex of Pico del Teide on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain. The park forms a wooded ring around the core of the Teide National Park and interfaces with municipal territories including La Orotava, Vilaflor, Granadilla de Abona, and Arona. It is administered by the Cabildo de Tenerife and contributes to regional conservation networks such as Red Natura 2000 and UNESCO-related initiatives.
The park occupies a belt of highland terrain around the summit of Pico del Teide and the Las Cañadas caldera, lying within the municipalities of La Orotava, Güímar, Adeje, Granadilla de Abona, Arona, Vilaflor de Chasna, Guía de Isora, and Santiago del Teide. Its boundaries adjoin protected areas including Teide National Park, Malpaís de Güímar Natural Monument, and marine zones off the coast near Los Cristianos. Elevations range from montane plateaus to peaks such as Montaña Blanca and rim features of Las Cañadas; transport links include the TF-21 and TF-24 roads and the Tenerife South–Reina Sofía Airport corridor.
The park overlays the central volcanic complex of Tenerife dominated by the stratovolcanic edifice of Pico del Teide and the collapse structure of Las Cañadas. Its geology reflects multiple volcanic cycles including phonolite and trachyte eruptions, pyroclastic deposits, and extensive lava flows such as those from historic vents like Chinyero and Montaña de las Arenas. The area is relevant to studies by institutions including the Instituto Geográfico Nacional (Spain), Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias, and the European Plate Observing System for monitoring magmatic activity, seismicity, and geomorphological processes like erosion and solifluction.
Climate in the park ranges from montane Mediterranean and subtropical highland climate influences to arid conditions on leeward slopes, modulated by the Northeast Trade Winds and the Azores High. Microclimates produce cloud layers known locally as the sea of clouds (mar de nubes) that affect humidity, radiation balance, and evapotranspiration, interacting with atmospheric phenomena monitored by AEMET and research programs linked to Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias. Ecological zones include thermophilous scrub, montane pine forest, and high-elevation desert pavement, forming ecological continuums analyzed by Consejería de Medio Ambiente de Canarias and universities such as University of La Laguna.
Vegetation within the park features endemic and native taxa such as Pinus canariensis pine forests, shrubland with Erica arborea and Ulex europaeus relatives, and high-altitude specialists including Echium wildpretii and other members of the Boraginaceae family. Faunal assemblages include endemic birds like Tenerife blue chaffinch and Bolle's pigeon as well as mammals such as the introduced Canary lizard and invertebrates including beetles described by researchers at the Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre. Conservation assessments involve institutions such as SEO/BirdLife and regional biodiversity inventories coordinated by the Gobierno de Canarias.
The park's protection status, established in 1987, situates it within provincial and European frameworks including Red Natura 2000 designations and Spanish protected-area legislation administered by the Cabildo de Tenerife and the Consejería de Política Territorial. Management plans address wildfire prevention, invasive species control, afforestation, and visitor impact mitigation, with operational partners such as the Servicio de Bomberos de Tenerife, Seprona divisions of the Guardia Civil, and conservation NGOs like Asociación Telesforo Bravo. Research collaborations with Universidad de La Laguna, the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, and international bodies inform adaptive management and monitoring of habitat integrity.
Recreational use includes hiking on historic routes such as the Camino de Chasna and trails connecting to Teide National Park viewpoints, guided tours to sites like Roques de García, and access to scientific facilities such as the Teide Observatory for astronomy tourism linked to operators based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Puerto de la Cruz. Visitor infrastructure and regulations are coordinated with transport services on the TF-21 and cableway operations related to Teleférico del Teide, while accommodations range from rural houses in Vilaflor to hotels in La Orotava and Adeje. Tourism management balances economic activities promoted by entities such as the Canary Islands Tourism Board with conservation priorities.
The highlands encompassed by the park hold archaeological and cultural sites tied to the indigenous Guanches and historic land uses including pastoralism, charcoal production, and timber extraction documented in archives of the Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País de Tenerife and municipal records of La Orotava and Vilaflor de Chasna. Cultural landscapes feature traditional agricultural terraces, hermitages such as chapels in rural parishes, and folklore integrated into festivals in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and neighboring towns. Scientific history includes fieldwork by explorers and naturalists associated with institutions like the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid and research expeditions coordinated by the Spanish National Research Council.
Category:Protected areas of Tenerife Category:Parks in the Canary Islands