Garajonay National Park, La Gomera Island

La Gomera is a small island (370km2 and 17,000 inhabitants). This former volcano has been sleeping off for 2 million years. Erosion deeply undercut the slopes, which are often ridged with deep canyons : the Barracanos.

Registered to world heritage since 1986, the park covers 10 % of the surface of La Gomera island. It is located between 800m and 1487m of height. 85% of the park is covered with forest, contrasting with the aridity of a large part of the other Canary Islands.

This is due to the island particular climate : high humidity, frequent smog, condensing in little droplets.

The vegetation is of two types :

• Laurel trees in the shaded and wet areas (called in latin Lauresylve)
• The "fayal brezal" are ferns, often than 2 meters high, forming bushes in more dry and poorer places.

These forests are a relic of the Mediterranean primitive forests dating from several million years and which have persisted on islands because their particular climate.