Agroaldea
The Geopark category gives the Island a differentiating sign that recognizes its natural heritage, as well as the different lines of development based on sustainability.
The island of El Hierro has been declared a Geopark by UNESCO, becoming the sixtieth member of the European Network of Geoparks (REG), candidacy promoted by the Cabildo de El Hierro and the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism within the Special Action Plan created to alleviate the effects that occurred after the eruption of an underwater volcano in 2011.
A Geopark recognized by UNESCO is a territory that has exceptional geological heritage for its scientific value, didactic and aesthetic that has a solid management structure that guarantees citizen participation, and is committed to a sustainable socio-economic development strategy that includes the promotion and conservation of the natural and cultural values of the territory.
Although it is not a new legal figure for the protection of the natural environment and therefore, in no case does it restrict the use of the territory beyond the current laws of each country, a Geopark accepts the work model supervised by UNESCO to manage and make the local heritage profitable, mainly through responsible tourism (ecotourism, geotourism and cultural tourism).
A Geopark is defined as an inhabited territory, endowed with an important geological heritage in terms of its scientific value, rarity or aesthetic or educational value, in addition to other natural and cultural heritage elements, in which a management strategy based on geoconservation and sustainable development is applied, settled in her community.
The territory formed as a Geopark joins a network of European and global cooperation to share human and technical resources and to collect interesting experiences from other places and contribute its own to the Network, benefiting from the international promotion tools of the Network (Web, publications, tourism fairs, tourist products, etc.).
Collaboration is also an instrument to obtain European funding through shared projects and to initiate joint initiatives..
Beyond the set of natural and cultural resources, the Geopark differs from other territories due to the way it is managed. A coordinated management, based on the agreement of the agents, that must have a direct impact on the territory by improving the living conditions of its inhabitants and their environment in general, and must play an active role in the economic development of the territory, which will be based, among other policies, in promoting geological heritage and geotourism.
Unesco has designated El Hierro as a Geopark for its different attributes, among which are found that it has been a Biosphere Reserve since the year 2000 and has six Protected Natural Areas (ANP), that cover the 60 percent of its territory, including the Integral Marine Reserve of Mar de Las Calmas.
Geological wealth, the scenic beauty, the experience acquired in seismovolcanic matter, environmental programs, the development of the primary sector or the aspirations to become the first territory capable of self-sufficiency in electricity, from renewable sources, have contributed to the Unesco awarding it the Geopark distinctive.
The candidature was presented in Portugal within the eleventh edition of the Conference of European Geoparks, that took place in Arouca (Portugal) in October 2012, within the Aspiring Geoparks International Conference.
The European Geoparks Network (European Geoparks Network), formed by 60 geoparks in Europe, of which ten are in Spain, is a voluntary association of territories sponsored and protected by UNESCO that are committed to the same working method to promote and take care of the natural and cultural values of their heritage, with special attention to geological heritage.
This seal of distinction, endorsed by UNESCO and of great prestige at European and world level, enhances the image of El Hierro, has innumerable benefits for tourism, and it will allow the Island to benefit from the collaboration of a network of resource recruitment, as well as the support of UNESCO in the participation of financing framework programs.