Santa Cruz de Tenerife has taken a firm step towards consolidating the care of its green spaces with the awarding of a three year contract intended to guarantee the supply of plants, trees, and shrubs. The operation will allow replace, improve and expand municipal plantings continuously throughout the three-year period.
The measure, endorsed by the Governing Board, seeks a city greener and better preservedwith greater tree cover and a variety of species. The city council emphasizes that stable planning and a year-round flow of plant material are key to maintaining the quality of the gardens and their capacity to adapt to climate change.
Santa Cruz ensures the supply of vegetables for three years
The file is structured in two lots with designated recipients and amounts to cover the needs of planting and replacementLot 1, focused on seasonal flowering plants, is awarded to the company Geraniums of TenerifeLot 2, which includes trees, palm trees, shrubs and ground cover species, has been awarded to Botany.
In figures, Lot 1 amounts to 823.922,91 Euros for the three years (€274.640,97 annually), aimed at supporting the decorative campaigns that add color on special dates and maintaining the aesthetic level of public spaces. Lot 2 adds 130.747,23 Euros over the three-year period (€43.582,41 per year) and will allow for strengthening the tree cover and the roadside trees, in addition to consolidating hedges and shrubbery.
The mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, has emphasized—in terms of municipal policy—that this hiring ensures the continuous replenishment of specimens to support the quality standards of the city's green areas. For his part, the Councilor for Public Services, Carlos Tarife, emphasizes that having plant material available year-round facilitates ongoing maintenance: plant replacement, specific improvements and new plantations where needed.
The specifications include an increase in the number of species and units to improve resilience against heat waves and water stress. In this context, Lot 1 grows by approximately 35%. with respect to previous contracts, while Lot 2 —primarily linked to trees and shrubs— almost triples its annual allocation, going from 16.000 euros to 43.582,41 euros.
What the contract includes and how it will be executed
The scope of service is designed to support a continuous maintenance cycle This will prevent supply shortages and facilitate rapid responses to incidents or losses of plants. The aim is to keep flowerbeds, roundabouts, historic gardens, and rows of trees alive and in good condition.
In addition to the aesthetic enhancement associated with seasonal plantsThe commitment to more trees, palm trees and shrubs aims to increase the urban shadow and biodiversity of the spaces, aspects that have an impact on thermal comfort and the quality of the urban landscape.
The availability of plants throughout the twelve months of the year allows for the scheduling of specific campaigns and staggered interventionsThis reduces the impact of mass replacements and improves the efficiency of street crews.
The planned actions include, in a coordinated manner, the replacement of the aforementionedthe creation of new planting beds, the improvement of tree pits, and the introduction of species adapted to local conditions to reinforce the resilience of the trees and vegetation.
- Seasonal plants: staggered flowering and support for ornamental campaigns.
- Trees and shrubs: replacement, increased coverage and improved alignments.
- Upholstery and turf: consolidation of edges and control of aesthetic and functional erosion.
- Annual planning: stable supply to avoid service interruptions.
Other three-year contracts in Spain: the case of Malaga
At the state level, Malaga operates a service of conservation, maintenance and improvement of its green infrastructure through contracts in batches with a base duration of three years—extendable with annual renewals. In the first renewal, the total amount for one year reaches 18.188.254,76 Euros (VAT included).
Within that structure, Raga Medio Ambiente manages Lot 4 —areas of Carretera de Cádiz, Churriana, Campanillas and Puerto de la Torre— with an annual budget on extension of 4.258.652,38 EurosThese contracts have been sized to accommodate the expansion of useful green areas to 13,4 m² per inhabitant, compared to the 7,67 m² recorded years ago.
The Malaga document emphasizes the risk management In tree management: detection of deficiencies, phytosanitary monitoring, and corrective measures. Within this framework, the administration has even applied penalties—such as those of 5.000 Euros related to the evaluation of a specimen—, remembering that the purpose of the contract is not only to conserve, but also to protect the citizen security.
This approach to control and planning is consistent with the line adopted by municipalities that opt ​​for three-year contracts for their Parkland, combining batch execution, technical monitoring and improvement clauses to respond to new needs.
With the three-year contract underway, Santa Cruz de Tenerife guarantees a constant supply for replenish and increase Its plant heritage, with defined amounts and lots, clear environmental objectives and a roadmap that prioritizes coverage, biodiversity and rapid response to incidents, in line with the best practices already applied by other Spanish cities.
