Pico de Malpaso is the highest point on the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands, Spain. by Marjolein Zijlstra

About "Pico de Malpaso is the highest point on the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands, Spain."

by Marjolein Zijlstra

About the artwork

The beautiful volcanic soil of Pico de Malpaso, translated : "difficult mountain peak" is the highest point on the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands, Spain .
This beautiful vegetated peak is located in the centre of the island, on the border between the municipalities of Frontera and El Pinar de El Hierro, Santa Cruz de Tenerife province.
At the top of the mountain, at an altitude of 1,501.76 m above sea level, there is a surveying point from which, among other things, soil rise or subsidence can be determined, especially in areas of volcanism no mean feat.
From this mountain you can see the equally beautiful island of La Palma, and other islands of the Canary archipelago. The island of El Hierro is the youngest island of the archipelago and is about 3 million years old. Its current island shape was created by erosion on the volcanic cone over the past millions of years.
The slopes of Malpaso are home to forests and heathlands with the Canary Islands' endemic juniper. In Latin; Juniperus cedrus), some of which are said to be more than a thousand years old and due to the isolation of the Canary archipelago including Madeira, the plants have evolved into their own species exclusive to this archipelago.
The most important animal from a conservation point of view is El Hierro's giant lizard, in Spanish Lagarto Salmor, an endangered reptile species. The giant lizard of El Hierro is the only extant, critically endangered subspecies of Simony's giant lizard (Gallotia simonyi). It is endemic to El Hierro, the westernmost of the Canary Islands, where it is an official symbol.