Over ten thousand different animal and plant types, more than 3,500 of it is endemic, occurs only on the Canary Islands.

Before the „conquest "Gran Canary was mostly covered with forests. These were cut to cover the always rising need of fuel and building material for houses and ships. This was the time of the discovery journeys and Gran Canary was an important station on the way into the "new world". As in the centre of the 20th century approximately 10% of the forests were remaining only, seized the government of the island to preventive measures and they began with the forestation. Also the need for wood sank strongly by the conversion to other building materials and fuels such as gas and electricity. The largest threat of the trees is the fire, particularly in the dry summer months.

Wind force plays an increasing role on Gran Canary with the modern wind force park near Vecindario. Also solar power is increasingly used. The high water requirement of the tourism industry is to a large extent covered by sea waters, prepared in sea water desalination plants. The preparation is very energy costly and therefore expensive. In order to avoid that water is gotten dirty by the increasing tourism; all touristic facilities must dispose their waste water in sewage purification plants. The prepared waste water is partly used for the irrigation of gardens. Many hotels are endeavoured to function pollution free and to reduce their water and energy consumption.

Altogether approximately a third of the island stands under nature protection. To the 32 protected areas of the island belong nature parks, nature reservations, natural landmarks, Landscape protection areas and areas, at which a high scientific interest exists. All these protected areas are characterized by a typical animal and plant world.
To the considerable nature parks belongs the Roque Nublo with its monolith of the same name of 65 m height. On the hiking trails sometimes snow can be in the winter. A further, very important protected area is the nature park Tamadaba in the proximity of the city Agaete.

In the nature park Monte Doramas are still remnants of the beautiful canarian laurel forest, which covered once far parts of Gran Canary and in its plant varieties remind of the tropical rain forests and the dense forests from the tertiary period. The dunes of Maspalomas are probably the most well-known nature reservation of Gran Canary. This 400 hectare large area accommodates palm groves and a lagoon beside the dunes. With these nature parks one tries to retain the beauty and the unique character of Gran Canary.