The protection and preservation of nature in the Canary Islands is carried out via eight categories or legal dispositions, one at the national level, regulating national parks, and seven al the regional level, established by Law 12 of 1994, of the 19th of December, denominated the "Ley de Espacios Naturales de Canarias" (Law concerninig the Natural Areas of the Canaries). The regulations implanted by the Canarian Parliament establish different degrees of protection of areas, determined by their interest and their fragility. These categories are as follows: natural and rural parks, complete and special natural preserves, natural monuments, protected landscapes, and sites of scientific interest.
All of these types of protected areas appear in La Gomera, in addition to the national park; there are in fact 17 protected areas, with a total surface of 12,450 hectares (30,774 acres), which constitutes fully a third of the island. A description of the main characteristics of each is offered here:

- El Parque Nacional de Garajonay, (The Garajonay Park), situated in the centre of the island in lands belonging to all the municipal districts, has the best specimens of laurel forest in the world and pertains to the network of national parks.



- La Reserva Natural Integral de Benchijigua (The Natural Preserva of Benchijigua), situated in the caldera of the same name in the municipality of San Sebastian, is of notable geomorphological and botanical interest.

- La Reserva Natural Especial de Puntallana (The Special Natural Preserve of Puntallana), is an interesting geomorphological enclave of island lowland, the only one in La Gomera, situated to the north of San Sebastián, home to an excellent spcimen of sweet purge.

- El Parque Natural de Majona (The Majona Natural Park), located to the northwest of San Sebastián, corresponds to a former pasture still used for flocks of sheep and goats where an interesting spurge grows together with other species of flora of lower altitudes, and an important representation of fayalbrezal.

- El Parque Rural de Valle Gran Rey (The Valle Gran Rey Rural Park), situated in the valley of the same name, brings together striking geomorphological elements such as deep ravines and steep cliffs, in addition to spring waters and certain endemic flora, together with the remarkable traces of human activity evident in the terraces that climb the slopes, tha palm groves grown next to the crops and the small houses that are dispersed over the slopes.

- El Monumento Natural de Los Órganos (Los Órganos Natural Monument), situated on the northen coast of Vallehermoso, is a cliff made of ancient volcanic rock, whose cooling and subsequent erosion have given it a characteristic silhouette in the form of organ pipes falling vertically to the sea.

El Monumento Natural Roque Cano (The Roque Cano Natual Monument) is a phonolitic protrusion which rises over the one of slopes delimiting the town of Vallehermoso. This singular bulk is so much a part of the self-image and history of its people that it forms a principal motif of the municipal shield.

- El Monumento Natural Roque Blanco (Roque Blanco Natural Monument) is formed by materials similar to those of Roque Cano. Its walls are not particularly steep and within them is sheltered one of the best groves of madroños (Arbustus Canariensis, strawberry trees) in the islands

- El Monumento Natural de la Fortaleza (La Fortaleza Natural Monument) is found in the area of chipude. Its profile presents a configuration in the form of a meseta of trachitic rocks and steep walls where specimens of some rare endemic flora such as the siempreviva grow.

- El Monumento Natural del Barranco del Cabrito (The Barranco del Cabrito Natural Monument) occupies the middle and lower zones of the ravine of the same name, in the district of San Sebastián, in a semi-leeward area, such the xerophytic (pertaining to dry areas) and coastal vegetation predominate, with abundant euphorbias and some palm groves.

- El Monumento Natural de la Caldera (The Caldera Natural Monument) corresponds to the best preserved volcanic cone of the island, in which no volcanic activity has occurred in the last million years. the predominant vegetation is the spurge

- El Monumento Natural del Lomo del Carretón (The Natural Monument of El Lomo del Carretón) is a cliff that is situated at an altitude of between 450 and 850 metres over Taguluche, and contains a good number of endemic plants that live together with other regenerating species.

- El Monumento Natural de los Roques (Los Roques Natural Monument) is situated in the divide that separates the head of the ravines of La Laja and Benchijigua. the territory includes the rocks of Agando, ojila, La Zarcita and Carmona, spectacular examples of intrusive volcano activity, excavated by erosion.

- El Paisaje Protegido de Orone (The Protected Landscape of Orone) covers two great ravines, that of Erques-La Rajita and that of La Negra. Within this area, ideal for hiking, semi-abandoned villages like Erques, Erquito and La Rajita are found.

- El Sitio de Interés Científico de los Acantilados de Alajeró (site of Scientific Interest at the Acantilados de Alajeró) is an area which is difficult to reach by land is quite beautiful to contemplate from the sea. It is characterized by the presence of certain botanical species such as the Ploclama pendula and by certain fauna such as guirres and shearwater.

- El Sitio de Interés Científico del Charco del Conde (Site of Scientific Interest at Charco del Conde) is a coastal ecosystem formed by a natural swmming pool greatly enjoyed by children, surrounded by certain botanical species such as the tarajal (Tamarix canariensis). There are also restaurants and tourist facilities here.

- El Sitio de Interés Científico del Charco del Cieno (Site of Scientific Interest at charco del Cieno) is also a coastal ecosystem, situated on the coast of Valle Gran Rey and characterized by its flora halophile (Tamarix canariensis) and by the presence of a small dun