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Date Published: 09/10/2024

New diving and marine science complex in Tenerife

The new complex will include an artificial reef and diving school

One of Spain's most popular holiday islands is about to get a brand-new artificial reef for scuba divers to explore.

'Underwater Gardens' is a pioneering project set to open in Tenerife. The centre will bring together tourism and marine science through diving and research in the south of Tenerife. Though initially planned for Barcelona, the project has now found a new home in the Canarian municipality Guía de Isora, where it will feature a complex with access to artificial reefs along the coast.

The Centre, which is being spearheaded by a Catalan company, aims to bring together environmental regeneration and tourism to create a space that promotes both ecological preservation and public engagement.

In early 2022, the Tenerife Cabildo declared they were moving forward with the development. This year, the project was delegated to the President of the Cabildo for expedited processing, alongside three other strategic projects.

The pioneering project will include two main components: Garden Gate on land and Sea Garden underwater. The Sea Garden will host "regenerative underwater gardens" and a docking area, while the Garden Gate will house leisure and educational facilities, including gardens, restaurants, parking, and a photovoltaic pergola.

The project's focus is upon "environmental regeneration of coastal and marine areas, and the knowledge, study, monitoring, research, and protection of biodiversity and ecosystems."

The Centre will also address the impacts of and adaptation to climate change, combining these goals with public outreach through entertainment, leisure, culture, and maritime sports like diving

The creation of an artificial reef is for the fostering of ecotourism at the site. According to the project's website, these "underwater gardens" are architecturally designed by "eco-sensitive divers" with diving trails suited to different skill levels.

The land based section of the project will feature a Dive Hub, where visitors can learn to dive, through the exclusive courses in diving that the centre offers, in the various pools on site. Linked to the Dive Hub is the Biolab, a "scientific laboratory and marine restoration research centre".

The Biolab will host research projects and studies on marine biodiversity management, knowledge generation, and its dissemination. It will also focus on developing marine gardening technologies, with outdoor nurseries and a Mesocosmos to support the Sea Garden.

The complex will be based in Playa Punta Blanca, within the municipality of Guía de Isora. The site was previously agricultural land, primarily used for banana farming, but is now abandoned.

The project is currently undergoing an environmental assessment, involving both the Tenerife Cabildo and the Coastal Authority, due to its location within the public maritime-terrestrial domain.

Image: Underwater Gardens

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