Private Security to Patrol Teide National Park
The Tenerife Island Council, led by President Rosa Dávila (Coalición Canaria), has put out to tender a €3.5 million contract for private security surveillance of Teide National Park. The service will see eleven rural guards deployed from 1st April for the next three years. This move is a direct response to the “enormous pressure” placed on the environment by the millions of visitors the park receives annually.
Duties and Deployment of the New Guards
The guards’ primary role will be to “protect the integrity” of the National Park against any activity constituting a criminal offence. They will also intervene in dangerous situations and emergencies, providing a rapid and effective response to unforeseen incidents such as accidents or fires. This private security force will work alongside the environmental agents already operating within the park.
According to the technical specifications, one guard will be stationed in the La Rambleta area during the operating hours of the cable car (9:00 to 18:00, seven days a week). When the cable car is not running, that guard will provide service at Roques de García. Two more guards will watch the summit of Montaña Blanca from 16:00 to 9:00. A further four will carry out mobile patrols in the afternoon using two all-terrain vehicles, with another two providing the same mobile service at night. The final two guards will also be on mobile night patrols, offering an additional service between 1st April and 30th September.
Contract Details and Oversight
Although the base budget for the tender is €3.5 million, the estimated total contract value is €5.8 million. The company awarded the contract must be authorised by the Ministry of the Interior to provide such services. The contract stipulates that the company must carry out “as many inspections as are necessary” to ensure each guard is performing their duties correctly, and the National Park reserves the right to order any inspections it deems appropriate.
Protection Extended to Viewpoints
The security service will also cover the viewpoints at Ayosa, Lomo del Retamar, Los Poleos, and Chipeque. The latter has suffered from overcrowding in recent years, with dozens of people crowding the spot after it went viral on social media, endangering the natural values of this enclave.
Justification for Increased Security
The island council argues that the “large number of visitors and the enormous pressure on the environment exerted by such a high human presence throughout the year” justifies this new contract. This is reflected in a document signed last November by the Department of the Natural Environment. It adds, “It is potentially possible that visitors’ lack of knowledge could produce negative impacts that make public enjoyment incompatible with the protection and conservation of the resources of these protected spaces.”
Context of Record Visitation and New Management
Teide National Park was the most visited in Spain’s entire network in 2024, with over 5.2 million visitors. In December, the Canary Islands Government approved the transfer of the management and control of Teide National Park to the Tenerife Island Council. This decree enables the island government to regulate administrative and environmental staff.
On 22nd January, the council presented its new surveillance and control model for natural spaces to the Environmental Agents. In this meeting, the Councillor for the Natural Environment, Blanca Pérez, informed them of the creation of the role of Inspector of Environmental Agents. This inspector will be responsible for managing the contract for auxiliary personnel, which includes these private security guards, and for coordinating with regional, local, and national authorities.
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