The High Price of a Free Souvenir
Taking stones, sand, and other natural elements as souvenirs is a problem that affects virtually every natural space in the world. The situation becomes more severe the more popular the destination. Evidence of this can be found in the hundreds of videos online where people not only take these items but also proudly share their actions on social media as if it were a clever trick. This irresponsible tourism is, often without us realizing it, destroying countless natural spaces—places that will take a very long time to recover, if they ever do.
A Widespread Problem in the Canary Islands
In the Canaries, this is a frequent issue. Many tourists don’t think twice about scooping a jar of sand from the beach, pocketing a stone from Teide National Park, or taking some of the unique rodolitos (calcareous algae) from Fuerteventura’s famous Playa de las Roscas. While the final destination of these unauthorized “treasures”—whether they’ll end up as decorations on a shelf somewhere—is unknown, we do know that some people come to regret their actions.
A Tourist’s Returned Rocks and a Legend of Bad Luck
Timanfaya National Park in Lanzarote recently shared a story on social media about one such remorseful traveler. They published a letter sent by a German tourist a few years ago, who had been moved by a local legend or perhaps forced by misfortune to return what he had taken.
“I have heard legends that say taking volcanic rock from its source of origin brings bad luck, and I’m afraid this has happened to me,” the letter reads. “After a serious personal tragedy, I feel compelled to return these few pieces of rock from the Fire Mountains. I would be eternally grateful if you would scatter them outside the center where I collected them, in the place where the hot embers are found.”
It seems this regretful traveler had to suffer a personal misfortune to realize that we should not destroy the natural environment. While it was most likely a pure coincidence, the event undoubtedly made him reflect on his actions.
More Than Just a Superstition
What might seem like a trivial act—taking a stone, some sand, or any other natural element from its original environment—is anything but. The park explains in its publication that a large volume of stones and sand is regularly confiscated from luggage at Lanzarote Airport. This action can lead to financial penalties of up to €3,000.
The Real Environmental Damage
Beyond the potential hit to the wallet, these thefts have severe natural consequences that damage the environment of Timanfaya National Park and other fragile ecosystems:
The habitat for lichens, fungi, and insects is destroyed.
Microsystems and endemic organisms are damaged.
The creation of fertile soil, which is essential in the fight against erosion and desertification, is prevented.
The food chain is broken, and fauna populations decline: if there are no rocks, there is no refuge or substrate for invertebrates, and without invertebrates, their predators are left without food.
The cultural identity of the place is dismantled: volcanic rocks are the foundation of Lanzarote’s vernacular architecture.
