![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.dominicana-online.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/02\/areas-protegidas-rd.jpg\")
<\/a>Therefore it follows that protected areas are tools for\u00a0the\u00a0effective management of territories. Contrary to popular thought, protected areas are far from spaces destined for non-use, where humans are\u00a0barred from enjoying\u00a0the resources which exist there. Instead, they are opportunities for the practice of conservation and enjoyment of the ecosystems themselves as well as the services\u00a0they provide to us in a\u00a0harmonious and sustainable manner.\u00a0In accordance with their vocation of management, protected areas\u00a0should be protected by sub classifications also established by the IUCN.<\/p>\nThe Dominican Republic relies on a\u00a0National System of Protected Areas (SINAP)<\/a>\u00a0as part of\u00a0its\u00a0national policies on conservation and biodiversity. The SINAP\u00a0has six main conservation categories divided into thirteen subcategories and 126 conservation units. Each subcategory is defined by the type of management required for the protected area\u00a0under its jurisdiction.<\/p>\n Altogether, these areas\u00a0cover 25% (12,441.91 km2<\/span>) of the Dominican Republic\u2019s national territory as well as 45,922.78 km2<\/span>\u00a0of its waters.<\/p>\n Graphic 11 <\/p>\n The legal instruments which classify the SINAP are:<\/p>\n All of which fall under the framework of the\u00a0Ley General de Medio\u00a0Ambiente\u00a0y\u00a0Recursos\u00a0Naturales\u00a0No. 64-00<\/a>\u00a0(link in Spanish)\u00a0dated\u00a0August 18th<\/span>, 2000.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the Dominican Republic, protected areas are grouped into various categories and subcategories of management, in accordance with universally-accepted norms by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources is the Dominican Republic\u2019s national institution which, in tandem with a group of non-governmental organizations, works to ensure the continued care of our protected areas. In the Dominican Republic there are six groupings for protected areas according to classifications mandated in the Ley Sectorial de\u00a0\u00c1reas\u00a0Protegidas\u00a0No. 202-04:<\/p>\n Areas of Strict Protection: where\u00a0the main interest\u00a0is continued scientific investigation and monitoring of local species, with little or no presence of human activities.<\/p>\n National Parks:\u00a0where the goal is\u00a0spiritual relaxation via scientific, recreational, educational, and tourism-related activities. Intensive activities exploitation of these ecosystems is prohibited.<\/p>\n Nature\u00a0Reserves:\u00a0which\u00a0aim to conserve the initial state of a location lacking permanent or significant human settlement.<\/p>\n Indigenous Life\u00a0Refuges:\u00a0that serve as habitats and give protection to animal and plant species that due to their importance, rarity, singularity, and\/or possibilities of extinction require protection in order to preserve biological equilibrium in the face of human intervention.<\/p>\n Natural Monuments:\u00a0including caverns, caves, and areas with monuments or historical ruins. These areas\u00a0of overwhelming value may\u00a0contain one or more cultural or specific natural characteristics\u00a0derived from\u00a0their\u00a0intrinsic rarity,\u00a0aesthetic qualities, or cultural significance.<\/p>\n Protected Landscapes:\u00a0areas where interactions between human populations and nature have produced a\u00a0distinct environment, with a significant aesthetic, cultural, and\/or ecological value and high biodiversity.<\/p>\n In the book\u00a0\u201cAll Things Dominican\u201d<\/a>\u00a0a collection of all the basic facts about protected areas in the Dominican Republic is presented along with beautiful images.<\/p>\n Graphic 12 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ecosystem Services Offered by the National System of Protected Areas<\/b><\/p>\n Ecosystem services are the benefits that humans derive directly or indirectly from ecosystems with the goal of providing for their well-being and that of the general population. These services include the structure and components of ecosystems, as well as their functions and processes.<\/p>\n Protected areas\u00a0hold high ecological, biological, scenic, and cultural value. This makes the SINAP important for the national economy. However, these areas\u00a0are very sensitive due to the fragility and vulnerability derived from their condition of\u00a0insularity. Regulated activities which are compatible with those laid out in the National System of Protected Areas are\u00a0integral in\u00a0maintaining\u00a0the ecosystems\u2019 capacity to provide services and benefits.<\/p>\n In this map you can see some of types of ecosystems found in the protected areas and the services that these ecosystems provide to us. This is only a small portion of the large benefits offered to us by the National System of Protected Areas, and a brief introduction to the importance of conservation and protection of the ecosystems and species that are found in its ecosystems.<\/p>\n Graphic 13 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The National System of Protected Areas is paramount for national development, and its relevance goes beyond the physical limits of each protected area.<\/p>\n In 2015,\u00a0the first attempt at placing an economic value on the ecosystem services included in the SINAP was carried out by the Global Environmental Facility project on re-engineering protected areas. This study concluded that the SINAP contributes approximately $2.7 billion dollars annually to the Dominican Republic; or 4.5% of the country\u2019s GDP (2012 values). This economic valuation was an attempt to translate the benefits of the SINAP into an additional dimension, knowing full well that the actual value is much more significant, and that the SINAP\u2019s most important source of value is the social well-being that it provides to all Dominicans. Additionally,\u00a0the study lacked data which would lead to more robust valuations, thus it is safe to say that the SINAP\u2019s real contribution is much higher than what was calculated.<\/p>\n Graphic 14 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A social and governmental alliance is required to improve the quality of\u00a0management tools, levels of conservation, and\u00a0investments\u00a0dedicated to the National System of Protected Areas. This could positively affect the protected areas\u2019 contribution to the development of the Dominican Republic.\u00a0The protection of the SINAP is undoubtedly essential to assure that the needs of\u00a0all Dominicans are met. It will assure\u00a0that the economic development of activities such as tourism is\u00a0maintained over time, and\u00a0guarantee\u00a0that resources are available for future generations.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What Are Protected Areas? A protected\u00a0area is a portion of land or sea\u00a0which through social, state, or private agreement has\u00a0legally\u00a0defined uses\u00a0concerning\u00a0its enjoyment, conservation, protection, maintenance, and management of its natural components. An area can be classified as protected when it holds significant\u00a0elements of biodiversity, natural resources, and cultural heritage which benefits humans and future generations. … Continue reading “Protected Areas”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2518,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3704","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dominicanaonline.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3704"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dominicanaonline.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dominicanaonline.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominicanaonline.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominicanaonline.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3704"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominicanaonline.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3704\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9879,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominicanaonline.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3704\/revisions\/9879"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominicanaonline.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dominicanaonline.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/i>(Map of Protected Areas of the Dominican Republic. Source: Atlas of Biodiversity and Natural Resources)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\n
Protected Areas in the Dominican Republic and\u00a0<\/b>Their\u00a0<\/b>Classifications<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n<\/i>(Statistics of protected areas based on their classification. Source: Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources<\/i>)<\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/i>(Ecosystem services of the SINAP. Source: Global Environment Facility project on re-engineering protected areas)<\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe Economic Value of The Dominican Republic\u2019s Protected Areas<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n<\/i>(Valuation of the protected ecosystems of the Dominican Republic. Source: GEF project on re-engineering protected areas)<\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n