Environment Ministry to Create Network of Eco-Parks in 16 Municipalities

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARENA), the Dominican Federation of Municipalities (FEDOMU) and the Atabey Center for Innovation signed an agreement to develop a network of urban ecological parks in 16 municipalities around the country.

The goal of this network is to build “green” infrastructures that will function as bio-socio-cultural interchange spaces to conserve the environment in the cities for future generations.

The goal of this network is to build “green” infrastructures that will function as bio-socio-cultural interchange spaces to conserve the environment in the cities for future generations.

The agreement was signed by Jaime David Fernández Mirabal, Environment Minister; José Reyes, president of FEDOMU and Domingo Contreras, president of Atabey.

Fernández Mirabal explained that the main objective of the agreement is to promote the creation of recreational, healthy and cultural spaces for the cities that provide fresh air and nature.

The Ministry of Environment will orient the cities and communities in the process of identifying areas, protecting parks and the reforestation of degraded areas with native, endemic or naturalized species.

Atabey will produce a document that establishes the legal and technical methodology for the town halls to contribute to the creation of ecological urban spaces, explained Contreras. 

Shaney Peña, who will direct the technical team that will create the diagnostic and design the spaces, made a call to the municipal authorities to get together and support the initiative.

Meanwhile, José Reyes, local leader from La Romana, confirmed that FEDOMU will assume the commitment of promoting the eco-parks because “the earth has begun to talk to us and we have to listen; we cannot continue with an irresponsible attitude.”

The proposals include suggestions to generate soil reserves which, due to their environmental conditions, have the necessary potential to constitute non-usable urban city soil. Another suggestion involves educating people about the economic benefits that management of soil reserves implies.

Selected municipalities are:

1. Dajabón. 25,685 inhabitants.
2. Pedernales. 13,805 inhabitants.
3. Puerto Plata. 146,882 inhabitants.
4. Mao. 49,475 inhabitants.
5. San Juan. 129,224 inhabitants.
6. Barahona. 77,698 inhabitants.
7. Moca. 131,733 inhabitants.
8. La Vega. 220,279 inhabitants.
9. Azua. 87,024 inhabitants.
10. San Francisco de Macorís. 156,267 inhabitants.
11. Cotuí. 74,056 inhabitants.
12. Bonao. 115,743 inhabitants.
13. Baní. 107,926 inhabitants.
14. San Pedro de Macorís. 217,141 inhabitants.
15. La Romana. 202,488 inhabitants.
16. Higüey. 141,751 inhabitants.