RUNNING IN A PRIVILEGED ENVIRONMENT
The Town Council of La Villa de Teguise, as organiser of Famara Total 2018, is trying to inform both participants and spectators about the main natural values of the environment in which the race takes place in and thus contribute, among all of us, to preserve and enjoy a place with such a large cultural and environmental heritage.
Famara Total 2018 takes place, among all of its different tracks, in one of Lanzarote’s most stunning landscapes: The Protected Landscape of Famara. Its environmental importance is such that several conservation organisations are trying to protect its landscape and natural values. With this conservation effort, we are also trying to promote knowledge and awareness about the threats this space faces so that we can effectively help in the preservation of Famara, allowing it to keep being a space where we can enjoy leisure activities while respecting its landscape.
A PROTECTED NATURAL ENCLAVE
Famara Total 2018 takes place, among all of its different tracks, in one of Lanzarote’s most stunning landscapes: the natural environment of Famara. Its environmental importance is such that several conservation organisations are trying to protect its landscape and natural values. With this conservation effort, we are also trying to promote knowledge and awareness about the threats this space faces so that we can effectively help in the preservation of Famara, allowing it to keep being a place where both nature and leisure can join together in harmony in the same space.
One of the less known facets of Lanzarote’s most important environmental values are its geologic treasures, and Famara is no exception. The race will pass through geologically rich and beautiful spots about 10.2 to 3.8 million years old. Participants and spectators alike will be able to enjoy a place that holds geologic treasures that are included in the Lanzarote and Chinijo Islands Global Geopark. Therefore, in Famara Total we can find, as if they were just one more spectator of the race, Los Valles Colgados de Famara, El Jable, El Cuchillo-Mosta-Montaña Cavera, Las Laderas and Vega de San José-Guanapay.
While the race does not get close to Los Valles Colgados de Famara, we can still see this spectacular geologic wonder from the place it will be taking place in. They are headless valleys whose eroded tips can be seen from the sea and the town of Famara.
El Jable. In the middle part of the race, the participants will cross a large sand corridor known as El Jable. It is made up of active organic wind sand that runs through the island from Caleta de Famara all the way up to Playa Honda-Arrecife. The dynamics of this sand has been influenced by human activity (deforestation, road systems and buildings).
El Cuchillo-Mosta-Montaña Cavera. While the race barely touches this place’s northernmost strip, Famara Total penetrates the area with the largest concentration of Surtseyan cones (i.e.: taking place in shallow seas and lakes) that can be found in the Canary Islands.
This is probably the place in which the participants will spend most of their time during the race. The area, described as a Paleo-cliff, belongs to the topographic end of Risco de Famara and it is completely disconnected from the current coastline. The landscape is spectacular, especially due to the contrast in colours, shapes and geologic elements.
Vega de San José-Guanapay. Found right before the race reaches the town of Teguise, this river valley was turned into a basin by the eruption of the Guanapay volcano. The volcano is a brown-ochre cone and, by the end of the 1400s, its summit was used to build the Castle of Santa Bárbara.
NATURAL PARK, ONE OF THE ISLAND’S NATURAL TREASURES
The space in which Famara Total takes place belongs to the Natural Park of the Chinijo Islands, included in the Canary Islands Network of Protected Natural Areas. The Natural Park of the Chinijo Islands is a protected natural area located north of the island of Lanzarote, and it comprises both the Chinijo Islands (made up by the isles of La Graciosa, Alegranza, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste) and the Risco de Famara.
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The place Famara Total takes place in is protected as a Biosphere Reserve, a protection both Lanzarote and the Chinijo Islands enjoy since they were awarded the title on the 7th of October, 1993.
Among the reasons for being declared a Biosphere Reserve we must point out some of those that refer to Famara:
- The presence of several natural spaces of interest.
- The presence of a high level of environmental culture.
- The conservation of a territorial farming intervention model that represents one of the most singular and beautiful heritages that can be found in this planet’s island cultures.
- Fields of wind sands; for example, the one found in El Jable de Famara.
- Unique coastal and sea environments.
Lookouts
Helps us create a more sustainable Renault Famara Total,
Experience the race from the lookouts
PRIVILEGED FLORA AND FAUNA
Famara, a charming place in the Natura 2000 Network
The coast of Famara and the Chinijo Islands was declared a Special Protection Area for birds (SPA) and a Site of Community Importance (SCI) in 1994, adding to the list of recognitions this singular place has received. The cliffs of Famara are also a place where a large number of endemic species can be found (more than 60); many exclusive species stand out among them, like a variety of distaff thistle (Atractylis arbuscula), the Famara bindweed (Convolvulus lopezsocasi), the plantago of Famara (Plantago famarae) and a highly endangered endemic subspecies of Famara, the Pulicaria canariensis lanata.
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- Corregüelon de Famara
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- Piñamar mayor
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- Pinillo de Famara
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- Pulicaria purpuraria
The avifauna found in this park is outstanding. Here we can see dozens of endangered species (like falcons or storm petrels) and it is also the home of falcons and ospreys that make their nests here. The same goes for the plains of the North of Soo and its coastal shallows: the former counts with a large number of steppe birds (like the houbara bustard, the courser, the lark, etc), while in the latter we can find wading species like the stone-curlew, the egret, the curlew, etc. The area surrounding the cliff of Famara is equally important for the different species of shearwaters that nest in the islands.
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- Hubara
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- Zarapito
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- Alcaraván
Among the activities that have the biggest environmental impact on the fauna of the area are the destruction or loss of habitats and human activities like sporting events or driving through fragile places like El Jable; this, more often than not, can disturb the species that live here. We must also mention unsustainable hunting and poaching of shearwaters and other seabirds which occasionally happens in the area of the Natural Park.