Protected areas and their compatibility with the Dominican Republic´s economic and social development: The necessary reevaluation  

Rita Pilar Soriano Cabrera

The Dominican Republic has a territorial surface of 48,442 km2 and possesses - at least - 12,204.5 km2 of protected land surface, which is equivalent to 25.32% of the national territory; this without counting the protected marine surface that covers 10.8% of the Dominican marine waters.

Without a doubt, the Dominican Republic has an environment that, in addition to exhibiting great richness, is also an enviable variety. The local fauna and flora have been the object of studies and praise for decades, which has placed us in a very good position when it comes to evaluations and positioning.

Taking into account the above, it is no coincidence that since 2000 the country has had a General Environmental Law, the result of the cause and struggle embraced by the majority of Dominicans, in their desire to preserve - under a particular legal regime - our natural heritage.

In that order, the legislation described above defines protected areas as "a portion of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of significant elements of biodiversity and associated natural and cultural resources, managed by legal mandate and other effective means".

Similarly, Law No. 64-00 created the National System of Protected Areas, which includes all such areas, whether public or private. Evidently, the interest in protecting large natural landscapes, as well as the panoramic beauty that, in addition, may contain an exceptional biological heritage of general interest, has been replicated by most modern States, the Dominican Republic being no exception.

This was not only limited to Law No. 64-00, but the Dominican Republic also has a Sectoral Law of Protected Areas number 202-04, which modulates the application of the law regarding protected areas. Similarly, the legislation provides a series of mandates for its successful implementation, ranging from preserving natural ecosystems and protecting watersheds, to promoting recreational activities and tourism in coexistence with nature.

In its article 5, numeral 7, Law No. 202-04 provides that human activities in protected areas, especially those related to research and tourism, must conform to the scientific-legal norms issued by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, in order to guarantee the maintenance of vital ecological processes and ensure the permanence and sustainability of the same. In that order, Article 14 provides the management objectives and permitted uses depending on the category of conscious management with universally accepted standards of the World Conservation Union.

In most cases, the permitted uses in the areas in question range from scientific research, ecotourism, tourism, etc. However, for example, new tourism infrastructure is only permitted in the "Protected Landscapes" category. This is where a re-evaluation of the compatibility of protected areas with the economic and social development of the country becomes necessary.

It is well known that tourism is one of the most important supports of the national economy, with a contribution of more than 16% to the GDP. By the first quarter of 2023, the Dominican Republic had broken its own record for tourist arrivals, reaching two million. However, if we take into consideration the sustained growth of the sector, the time must come when our own lodging capacity, services and facilities will not reach the expected levels. This is why an integral evaluation of our National System of Protected Areas is urgently needed and, if necessary, to rethink the restrictions in order to achieve better results while protecting our naturally important spaces.

The invitation should always be to conserve our natural heritage, but leaving the necessary space so as not to lose sight of the development of the communities that coexist with these limited areas and that, at the same time, contribute to the country’s development. The percentage of our surface area covered by protected areas is high enough to endanger the growth of the areas where they are located.

Taking all of the above into account, we must conserve and defend the compatibility of protected areas with our growth as a country -in social and economic terms- and this can only be achieved through the joint work of the public and private sectors.

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