THE ISLAND AT THE END OF THE WORLD

The Canary Archipelago is located in the north part of the Atlantic Ocean, next to the west coast of Africa. It is part of the Macaronesia, a word of Greek origin meaning Happy Islands, which also includes the Azzorre, Madeira, Salvajes and Capo Verde Archipelagos.
In the Archipelago, El Hierro is known as the Isla Chiquita (the small island), and because it continues to be far away from conventional tourist areas, it is a true paradise waiting to be discovered. It is the most western and southern island in the archipelago situated between the parallels 27° 38' and 27° 51' latitude north and the meridians 17° 52' and 18° 9' longitude west. It is 67 km from Gomera, 74 km from La Palma and 120 km from Tenerife. Since 1933 the Faro de Orchilla has marked the westernmost point of Spain and it is still an important reference point for those who come and go, by sea, to America. Just a short distance away is the Meridian Monument, where, since the era of Ptolemy, when the world was flat and four angels held it up by its four corners, the Prime Meridian ran through, and until 1500 was the end of the known world. In 1883 the Prime Meridian was moved to Greenwich. Its surface area of 278 kmq forms an upside-down isosceles triangle, whose base runs between the Punta de la Sal to the west and Punta Norte to the north, and whose vertex makes up the Punta de la Restinga to the south.
For romantics, however, it has a heart-shaped form which evokes intense emotions.

THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE

On 22 January 2000 the island of El Hierro was declared the Biosphere Reserve by the Unesco. Worldwide 425 reserves in 95 countries form an international network which includes and exceptional variety of environments and lands and offer great scenes of man and nature's coexistence. A Biosphere Reserve is a territory that holds particular environmental value. It represents a stable and developing community which has decided that social and economic advances must take into consideration the environmental resources that sustain it. They are places where projects for sustainable development are practiced, meaning that natural and cultural resources are administered reasonably in order to leave them to future generations. To be declared such they must meet certain requirements and respect a minimum number of conditions, including conservation and sustainable development. Every reserve, in order to improve the management and protection of natural resources and to guarantee the best possible cohabitation between man and nature, must be divided into three zones: a core area, rigorously protected; a buffer zone, which surrounds the core area and where activities related to the environment are carried out; and a transitional zone, where projects pertinent to responsible development take place. In El Hierro these zones are divided in the following way:

- core area, which includes the Reserva Natural Integral de Mencafete, the Reserva Natural Integral de Los Roques de Salmor, the Reserva Natural Especial Tibataje and the Reserva Marina de La Restinga;

- buffer zone, which includes the Parque Rural de Frontiera, the Monumento Natural Las Playas, the Paisaje Protegido Ventejis and the Paisaje Protegido Timijiraque;

- transitional zone, the rest of the island.

In November 1997 the Programme for Sustainable Development was approved by the Cabildo Insular which includes initiatives in the field of Architecture, Agriculture, the Creation of Industry, the Management of Water, the Production and Use of Energy, Recycling Solid Wastes, Transport, Local Economy, Culture and Education, Fishing and Tourism. The island truly seems to be making progress, using strategies of development which respect its nature, culture and human dignity. And this is what we all hope for!

GEOLOGY

The island looks like a 5,500 m high block which shoots up from the depths of the ocean. It is the youngest of the Canary Islands, and surfaced only 750,000 years ago.
But much earlier violent volcanic eruptions below sea level had begun forming its base. Finally it emerged from the ocean forming a majestic triangular pyramid with a volcano over 2,000 metres high. About 50,000 years ago one of the most violent and devastating natural phenomena known to man took place and radically changed its form. In a matter of seconds a gigantic landslide, most likely caused by an earthquake, made over 300 km3 of matter fall into the sea. Thus the imposing natural amphitheatre, El Golfo, was formed. It is believed that this movement created a tsunami over 100 metres high which reached the American coasts. Although the last eruption dates back to over 200 years ago, El Hierro has the greatest number of volcanoes in the Canaries, with more than 500 visible cones and over 300 covered by more recent eruptions.

CLIMATE

The variety of atmospheric conditions on such a small island is incredible.
Just like its older sister Tenerife, El Hierro is known as the small continent, in which persistent winds, thick fog, spectacular cloud movement, rain and sunshine frequently alternate. The island is influenced by a mass of air that, depending on where it comes from, brings different types of weather. During just about the whole year moderate or strong winds blow. The Alisei trade winds, which come from the north and form in the Azzorre's anticyclone, arrive filled with water, and condense against the steep slopes of the mountains on the north side, causing horizontal rain. During the period which goes from November to March, there is the highest rainfall. The south side, protected by winds, offers a wormer climate with rare precipitations. The Saharan winds are warm and dry and can blow in every season of the year, making the atmosphere cloudy because of the sand brought with it from the desert. This climatic condition is called kalima, and temperatures can reach 35 degrees centigrade. Yet the temperate climate is caused by the interaction of the winds with the sea breezes. The ocean current in the Canaries is the southern branch of the Gulf current which creates a pleasant temperature which varies from 19° and 23° centigrade on the coastal strip and gradually decreases depending on the altitude, with sea temperatures which rarely fall below 19° centigrade.

FLORA

The volcanic origin, with its fertile soil, and its climatic situation, allow for the development of rich and extremely varied vegetation. It is considered to be of Mediterranean origin, reaching the island at the end of the Tertiary era.
There are hundreds of varieties considered endemic, a few found exclusively on the island. In the arid undergrowth along the coast, known as tabaibal, at an altitude below 350 metres, where rain is rare, various types of euphorbia grow, including the cardon and tabaiba. The latter is the only one which is not toxic and it was used, amongst other things, to quench the shepards' thirst. Other plants found are the irama, more abundant in the south, the calcosa, also used as fodder for animals, as well as the tajinaste and the sanjora, endemic to the island. Between the altitudes of 300 and 700 metres, the most abundant species is the sabina, a subspecies of the Mediterranean juniper, which has also become one of El Hierro's symbols. On the western side of the island, violent winds over time, have shaped these plants into spectacular forms. Because of the solidity of this plant's wood it was severely exploited so that it has now become a protected species.
At this same height, there are also sporadic draghi. Their unusual appearance recalls a bouquet of flowers. The drago is a species which survived the last glaciation, and can reach 18 metres in height and live for a few centuries. It red coloured resin, known as "dragon blood" was once used in traditional medicine. At around 900 metres, the forest known as the laurisilva forest type grows and is made up of laurel trees, holly trees, limes and gigantic Ericaceae, covered with lichen and moss. On the south side is one of the most beautiful forests in the Canaries. The pino canario reigns and is able to grow roots even on the steepest slopes. Its wood, resistant to fire, is an exceptional material for construction. Buganville, Hibiscus, geraniums, poinsettias, carnations and very colourful strelitzia, all contribute to the festival of colours.

FAUNA

The most important animal on the island is, without a doubt, a large lizard known as Lagarto Gigante de El Hierro (the gigantic lizard of El Hierro), endemic to El Hierro. This reptile was over a metre and a half long and for a long time it was thought to be extinct. In 1975 a similar variety no longer than 70 cm long was sighted and in 1995 a rescue centre was opened in the Gulf Valley. To protect the species a project for growth in captivity was begun and presently there are more than 200 free specimens in a protected area, la Reserva Natural Integral de Los Roques de Salmor.
The most easily spotted bird is the canario silvestre, grey-green in colour and whose insignificant appearance does not prevent it from being a melodious songbird. There are also a few types of pigeons which are originally from the Canaries, the rabiche and the turquè, that nest in the laurisilva forest. The largest bird is the intensely black crow while the most abundant bird of prey is the falco canario (the Canary Island hawk). Other species found on the island are the quail, partridge, blackbird, sparrow, chaffinch, blue tit, carrion crow, various nocturnal birds of prey and the hoopoe.
Because the island in rich in pastures, sheep and cattle are everywhere. The donkey, for years a faithful work companion of the farmer, has been substituted by modern machinery and in a few cases left to its own destiny. In any case the rocky sea beds are what offer the greatest number of species and colours. In 1996 the first Sea Reserve in the Canaries was set up in the Mar de Las Calmas, where sport and underwater fishing is forbidden. Scuba diving fans can observe various varieties of fish, shellfish, molluscs, corals including the lobster, the manta, the black coral, the turtle, the moray and the grouper.