Seed-scattering Jesuit left an enduring legacy on island

Great hamburgers of fire- damaged palmera trunks lie beside the stone-laid pathways crossing this broad, green La Gomera valley. It is tragic that so many noble trees had to be felled after the great fire of August 2012, but hundreds still stand, writes Damien Enright

They are emblems of the islands, to which Phoenix canariensis is endemic. They are indeed mighty trees, weighing tens of tons, and can grow to 40m tall. Trees are catalogued and protected. In land zoning or planning permission cases, the tree comes first.

In Beverly Hills, California, trees 20m tall are bought and sold for €18,000, and the cost of moving them can be €18,000 extra. Cranes and earthmovers are required, and the hole in the owner-vendor’s yard may resemble a half-size Olympic swimming pool.