Landscape changes following the eruption of the Tajogaite Volcano on La Palma, Canary Islands

In this study, we aimed to identify the landscape change factors from the 2021 eruption of the Tajogaite Volcano on La Palma, assess their extent, depth and direction, and evaluate the eruption's consequences. The primary research method involved field observations in the part of the island affected by the eruption. These observations were correlated with desk-based work, analyzing satellite and cartographic materials and textual studies. In regions encompassing the island's primary landscapes, substantial regeneration occurred. In areas with older volcanic relief, where cultural landscapes had developed, they were buried under lava and volcanic ash, resulting in renaturalization. In locations where the effects of the eruption were less impactful, cultural landscapes underwent varying degrees of degradation and may potentially undergo re-culturalization. During field studies, ‘landscape windows’ were observed amidst the lava cover.