Popcorn Beach

[Mia]

Possibly the craziest beach we have been to in Fuerteventura.

                   

You can find it here: Popcorn Beach

This beach is located about 4km (2.5 miles) by car from Corralejo.

[Can the Man]

Thanks Mia, is it a form of coral ?

[Mia]

Yes, they are stony pieces of coral shaped like popcorn, eroded by the sea and washed out to shore.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Article in RTVAguaCabra 4/2/19 which talks about the 'popcorn':

https://fuerteventura.click/Thread-Days-...y-La-Oliva

[Cotillo_Tom]

Here is a video of popcorn beach by John Parker, JP in Fuerteventura .

Tom.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

More than 4,500 kilograms of shells, rhodoliths, stones or sand have been seized at Fuerteventura Airport in recent months.

The Cabildo of Fuerteventura, through the Ministry of Environmental Sustainability, reminds the population and visitors of the importance of avoiding practices such as the plundering of materials from the beaches such as shells, rhodolith stones or sand. In this sense, the island councilor, Lola García, warns of the danger of these practices that endanger the ecosystems of Fuerteventura.

 

Every year, the Staff of the Environment returns thousands of kilos of this type of materials from the Majorero landscape that are recovered from the plundering at Fuerteventura Airport. This is material that is seized by the Civil Guard in that terminal. Once the material has been requisitioned, the Environment staff collects it and classifies it by categories in rhodoliths, stones, sands, shells, etc.

Data such as date of collection, place of origin and type of materials are taken to assess the impact generated by this illegal plundering activity. Once registered, we proceed to the return to the natural environment, a work that consists of returning to its place the plundering that is being carried out in many places of Fuerteventura.

In the last four months, 4,533 kilograms of material have been collected, including rhodoliths, sand, callaos, stones and fossils. This makes an average of between 600 and 800 kilograms per month, which has allowed us to verify a great impact in recent months, especially sand, rhodoliths and fossil materials.

The most seized material is sand, both white and black. By type of materials, in four months 640 kilograms of white sand, 309 kilograms of black sand, 452 kilograms of rhodoliths and 240 kilograms of fossils have been collected at the airport.

"Island ecosystems are fragile territories, so any bad condition can be irreparable damage to the territory," García continues.
"There are many human and economic resources that we invest in Fuerteventura to counteract these plunders. Therefore, for the Ministry of Environmental Sustainability it is important to promote environmental awareness, to stop these actions and not only protect the environment, but also be able to dedicate these resources to actions that benefit the environment of our island".

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

'The Cabildo pampers its island', the project that seeks to restore the environmental damage of Fuerteventura.

The Employment Plan 'El Cabildo Mima su Isla', organized by the Cabildo de Fuerteventura and the Canarian Employment Service, has launched an operation to restore various enclaves of the island damaged by some visitors who seek to take part of the majorera geology as a souvenir.

 

Giving back to the island what is yours

Every month, an average of 500 to 600 kilos of material, including sand, pebbles, volcanic rocks or rhodoliths, are seized at Fuerteventura Airport. All confiscated items are collected by the members of the 'El Cabildo Mima tu Isla' plan and returned to their places of origin.

This project, with scientific purpose, aims to restore environmental damage through different actions, among which the support to the Environmental Service of the Insular Institution in the return of these elements to the natural environment and their evaluation stands out.

"It is increasingly common to take a souvenir from the beaches of Fuerteventura, without knowing that every time a person takes a shell, or other material is contributing to the imbalance of that ecosystem, and, therefore, to the loss of biodiversity," lamented President Sergio Lloret, who has appealed to both the population of the island and visitors to it.

"Together we have to continue working for the preservation of the natural wealth of our island, because it is not only part of who we are and our descendants and future visitors to Fuerteventura deserve to enjoy it as we do, but it is also the key for our island to remain the tourist attraction full of diversity and beauty that it has been until always ", The island councilor has highlighted.

Respecting the ecosystem

It must be taken into account, as explained by the vice president and counselor of the area, Juan Nicolás Cabrera, that "the components that form a natural space have their function in the ecosystem, the shells found on the beaches will be the sand and the next shells of the future, that sand will be refuge and habitat of different species necessary for good environmental health and the growth of other species, and so on,"

In addition, the materials are classified by the plan 'El Cabildo Mima su Isla' to study the place of origin and evaluate the impact generated by this illegal usurpation activity and, subsequently, return them to the natural environment.
The most affected areas are those where there is a large tourist influx and where these elements stand out for their beauty. This action is prohibited and carries a sanction according to Law 42/2007, of December 13, on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity. That is why the Civil Guard seizes every day at the island's airport different elements, such as sand with different characteristics, stones, picon, fossils, shells and rhodoliths.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

La Oliva tries to stop the plundering of rhodoliths on the beaches of the north.

The Department of Environment and Tourism seeks through information to counteract the collection of these characteristic elements of the beaches of the municipality



NEWSROOMFUERTEVENTURA


The City Council of La Oliva continues with the implementation of the environmental information service in various parts of the municipality, also focusing on Playa del Mejillón, located between the towns of Majanicho and Corralejo. The service on this beach has as its main objective the preservation of rhodoliths, calcareous fragments of coralline red algae that line the shore of this beach, commonly known as "Popcorn beach", due to its resemblance to popcorn. The fundamental purpose of this service is to ensure that visitors can enjoy the natural environment in a responsible and respectful manner.



With the intention of safeguarding the natural wealth of this area, a team of multilingual environmental guides has been arranged, whose job is to assist and educate tourists. These actions seek to counteract harmful behaviors that may affect the region, including the collection of rhodoliths by visitors. It is important to highlight that in 2022, 4.5 tons of rhodoliths, shells and sand were collected at Fuerteventura airport. We remember that what has taken nature thousands of years to generate, deserves to remain in its natural environment.



The Councilor for Tourism and Environment, David Fajardo, expressed concern about the environmental threat facing our natural values. In his words: "These guides will continue to operate until September as part of a pilot project with a forward-looking perspective. Our goal is to mitigate the impact of human trafficking in this sensitive area, ensuring that the beach is not disturbed in its natural course."



The importance of adopting good practices when visiting this beach and other natural environments is reiterated:



Respect the flora and fauna existing in the sand and the sea. Preserve the beach as it was found; the construction of monolith-like structures alters the landscape and can affect small animals such as hermit crabs. Use the accesses enabled to reach the beach. Deposit the garbage in the designated containers or take it with you. Avoid leaving cigarette butts on the beach, as they can end up in the sea and contribute to pollution. Park vehicles in designated areas, following directions. Keep the environment calm by avoiding excessive noise. Observe and enjoy the natural cycles present on the beach. Through these responsible measures and practices, it seeks to ensure the preservation of this exceptional natural environment for present and future generations.