Winter School -"Environmental Management on Islands: Challenges and Sustainability"
From February 13th to 17th, 2023, the course "Environmental Management on Islands: Challenges and Sustainability" will be organized at the Sala de Piedra of the Rectorate of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Islands are special cases for Sustainable Development. Methodologically and scientifically, islands are ideal ‘laboratories’ for sustainable landscape stewardship. Islands are unique in both attractiveness and climate vulnerability, they are relatively isolated and ‘on their own’ compared to mainland areas, yet they are also more dependent and need to be well connected to other areas more than mainland areas. This Winter School/Advanced Course is aimed at combining all these different perspective, focusing on Gran Canaria.
Gran Canaria is located in the center of the Canarian archipelago (NE Atlantic Ocean). This round island is 47 km across and covers an area of 1,560 sq km. Its highest peak, Pico de Las Nieves (1,949m), is situated right in the center of the island.
Gran Canaria’s natural resources have always been an endless source of bliss for the local population. The first of so many happy moments comes with the fine weather enjoyed here throughout the year, which makes life friendly and quiet. But this is certainly not all that nature has to offer on this island.
Gran Canaria is a miniature continent, a sampler of quite uncommon sceneries in the middle of a very diverse archipelago. This is why UNESCO awarded the island the Biosphere Reserve label, to actively support the conservation of the pieces that make up this puzzle of natural settings, a different and very peculiar micro-world. Nearly half the island’s geographical space has been included in this reserve, comprising six rural communities linked to traditional activities.