The next Congress will take place in the city of León on May 29 to June 2, 2012 and will take the title 'City, art and nature'

Some 350 experts in urban green areas participated in the XXXVIII Congress of parks and public gardens (PARJAP 2011) which took place in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from 16 to 19 March. For four days the city hosted this event which brought together technical from across the country to publicize the latest developments in the sector. The Mayor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Jerónimo Saavedra, and the President of the Spanish Association of parks and public gardens, Félix Morán, were responsible for opening the meeting, which the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium became the nerve center of the discussion under the title ' the garden of the Hesperides in the city of today'.

The first day of the presentations offered to members focused on gardening in a unique position. They became known examples from large cities such as London, the Guayaquil in Ecuador or the own case of the capital of Gran Canaria. The presentation of Miguel Angel Padron, head of the Department of parks and gardens of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, was revealed as human, climatic and economic factors influence the phases of planning, design, implementation and maintenance in public gardening projects. All of them reversed decisively in the subsequent maintenance and conservation.

The capital of Gran Canaria Alfredo Kraus Auditorium hosted the XXVIII of the PARJAP Congress.

As an example of the British capital were the Royal Parks, composed of diverse with a high value on biodiversity landscapes, and possessing a great international reputation. Visited by millions of tourists every year, each park required a specific model of management that fulfils a function in the community which is located and who will get their perpetuation in time.

According to Simon Richards, director of the London Richmon Park, from the early 1990s, the Government transferred its maintenance to the private sector, achieving a sound system in which the separation of the strategic direction and the operational of the parks that give a seal of high quality services. According to Richards, the challenge for the future is determined by three factors: the human, economic, and environmental.

For four days gathered in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria technicians from across the country to publicize the latest developments in the sector

The third of the papers, carried out by Douglas Dreher Andrade, architect and head of the workshop of architecture project of urban regeneration (Malecón 2000 Foundation), showed attendees how different sectors which are integrated into a strategic vision for the development of the city are involved in the process of urban regeneration of the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil: prevent migration from the Centre, the deterioration of the environment and the abandonment of their public spaces. The Malecón 2000 project, developed by various institutions, is intended to catalyze urban regeneration by creating a management model and mechanism of sustainable development to regenerate the State of abandonment of the main river edge of the city.

The project includes a number of general objectives (improvement of the environment, creating image of belonging, preservation of heritage, promote coexistence...) on the basis of the following strategies: attracting private investment, increase the quality of life with the creation of new green areas and public spaces, and the enhancement of the historic centre, improving the roads through the urban system.

The evening day was marked by the activities programmed on the outside, which included a visit to the Botanical Garden Viera y Clavijo, a pedestrian walk through the historical centre of the city of Las Palmas and the official reception at the Hall.

The 'Phoenix Canariensis' or Canary Island Palm was the main character during the second day of the Congress. Experts from the various administrations and Canary Islands universities were announced to the congressmen main characteristics, uses and threats of this species endemic to the Islands and symbol of its identity, which only in Gran Canaria has 250 natural palm groves.

During the first presentation of the morning, Arnoldo Santos, head of the Botany unit of the ICIA, demonstrated the value of Canary Island flora as an ornamental resource, which still is you can exploit much. David Bramwell, director of the Botanical Garden Viera y Clavijo, outlined the essential tool to biodiversity posed by the maintenance and care of botanical gardens as those which he directs. The current modernization of botanical gardens, of which the Botanical Garden Viera y Clavijo is a notable example, allows you to enhance its role in the protection of plant biodiversity, and developing its functions as a reserve of germplasm, research and environmental education.

He showed the value of Canary Island flora as an ornamental resource, which still is you can build much

The Congress commemorative tree was planted in the Doramas Park in the capital of Gran Canaria.

Multiple presentations on various aspects of the Canarian Palm served to deepen in the best-known species of all these endemic species of the Islands. Its multiple uses go well beyond its ornamental use. However, the current situation places it in a delicate position against various threats, such as hybridization with the ' Phoenix dactylifera', and the spread of major diseases, including the fusariosis and caused protects by ' Thelaviopsis spp. '. To prevent the proliferation of these is very important the establishment of preventive measures, and the coordination of the various entities involved in its management.

A multiponencia on new products and systems, and a technical visit to Parque Doramas with corresponding commemorative tree planting put end to the second day at the annual meeting of the Spanish Association of parks and public gardens.

Examples of Madrid and Barcelona were put on the table on the last day to address more technical issues, such as the equipment and the use of green spaces in urban areas. Enric Batlle, doctor of architecture, and Professor at the Polytechnic University of Barcelona, in his paper "the equipment of public spaces: the singularity to the generalization" emphasized in as continuous urban green is the logical consequence of promoting the necessary urban connectionsecological and metropolitan. The urban corridors, green routes, tracks and roads may be the main element of our public spaces, allowing to retrieve the connections lost with the landscape surrounding the city.

José Antonio Corraliza, doctor in psychology and Professor in environmental psychology of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, referred in his speech to the way in which humans perceive and use the urban green spaces. According to Corraliza, "in our cities, urban nature acquired great importance as a resource to improve the quality of life." "Urban green spaces play a role that goes beyond the consideration of them as a mere ornament, and are necessary to guarantee the physical and mental health of its inhabitants."

The last of the presentations was devoted to the accessibility of our parks and urban gardens. The director-general of the company Socytec, José Antonio Juncá, defined the universal accessibility as the ability to conceive these spaces without excluding anyone, i.e. taking into account the needs and requirements of each person, regardless of their agesickness, disability or any other circumstances which may influence their interaction with the environment. Thus, universal design aims to meet human diversity.