The Ministry of Environment of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria will lead the revitalization of Finca El Galeón, with an investment of 845,652 euros and a duration of 24 months. The main objective is to restore the educational, agricultural, and environmental value of this public space.
One of the priorities will be the recovery of the school garden, conceived as a pedagogical tool to bring knowledge of agriculture and natural processes closer to students. Actions will include land preparation, planting of agricultural and fruit species, and the implementation of a composting system using waste from the estate itself.
Raúl García Brink, Minister of Environment, Climate, Energy, and Knowledge, highlighted the goal of making El Galeón a 'living estate' again, where schoolchildren can learn through practical activities related to agriculture, water, biodiversity, and food. An environmental educator will be incorporated to design activities adapted to different educational levels, extending the work to the Water Museum and the El Pozo Interpretation Museum.
José Armengol, mayor of Santa Brígida, emphasized the affection the estate holds in the municipality and argued that the recovery of the gardens and the reinforcement of educational activities will restore its prominence for schoolchildren, residents, and visitors.
The contract with Gesplan marks a shift towards comprehensive and continuous management, moving beyond the previous maintenance-focused model. Improvements will be made to paths, trails, hydraulic infrastructure, dry stone walls, ponds, cisterns, fountains, irrigation channels, and corners, as well as enhancements to furniture, recreational areas, and accessibility. Livestock management will also be strengthened with daily care, facility maintenance, animal welfare monitoring, and veterinary assistance when necessary.
Of the total budget of 845,652 euros for Gesplan, more than 124,000 euros will be allocated to agricultural management and over 116,000 euros to visits and educational activities. The remainder will be assigned to livestock management, maintenance, cleaning, security, and technical monitoring.
The new phase will coincide with the launch of an agrovoltaic pilot project, aimed at studying the coexistence of agriculture and solar energy generation. This project will integrate renewable energies into the estate's educational content and showcase the possibilities of combining innovation, agriculture, and energy transition.
The ultimate goal of the Cabildo is to consolidate Finca El Galeón as a benchmark for sustainable agriculture, water management, biodiversity, rural heritage, circular economy, and energy transition, with a particular focus on its educational function.
