The Gran Canaria authorities have planned a special event for the Maspalomas gay pride in November, organized by foreigners with long-term residence in the south of the island and local companies in the leisure sector. The plaza of the Yumbo Shopping Center in Playa del Inglés will once again be filled with pride but there are doubts about the behavior in the sand of the Maspalomas Dunes of the clients of this tourist product: private parties, pool parties, musical galas and floats.
The large influx of people forces the authorities to be vigilant to protect the Maspalomas Dunes Natural Area, one of the areas most frequented by visitors. Since 1994, the Maspalomas Dunes have been recognized as a Special Natural Reserve. However, in recent years this natural space has been degraded due to human action. Accessing the environment off the trails is detrimental to fauna and flora.
Although some visitors complain about little control and little signage, the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council installed new signage and interpretive panels, translated into three languages (Spanish, English and German), thanks to the contribution made by the Ministry of the Environment of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, through its Governing Board.
This signage offers the visitor information about the dune ecosystem, as well as the animal and plant species that inhabit it. Signs have also been placed at strategic points, warning pedestrians of the prohibition of leaving the authorized path and preventing the deterioration of this protected environment. Other supports remind us of the prohibition of walking through the dunes.
