The Dominican Republic harbours a rich diversity of ecosystems and species. Eight distinct natural terrestrial ecosystems (conifer, broad-leaved, dry and swamp forests, secondary shrublands, wetlands, high-elevation savannah, and sparsely vegetated areas) have been identified in the Dominican Republic [1]. In addition, a diverse array of coastal and marine environments and ecosystems (including beaches, coral reefs, coastal lagoons, rocky coasts, sand dunes, estuaries, and mangroves) occur along the country’s 1,668.3 km-long coastline (including the adjacent islands) and its island platform (encompassing a total area of 11,786 km²) [2].
This high diversity of ecosystems has favoured a high — but still insufficiently studied — diversity of species and a high level of endemism [2]. The so-far known (as of 2006) flora of the Dominican Republic comprises 6,000 species of vascular plants, 2,050 of which are endemic to the island. The known vertebrate fauna comprises 1,126 species, including 527 fish, 74 amphibians, 166 reptiles, 306 birds, and 53 mammals. Almost all (96%) the amphibians, 89% of reptiles, 10.5% of birds, and 7.5% of mammals are endemic to the island. Many of these species, particularly amphibians, have very narrow distribution ranges and grow in highly specific environments.
Many zones and particular ecosystems of the country are exceptionally or uniquely biodiverse [2]. For example, the Sierra de Bahoruco, the Barbacoa-Casabito subregion, and the Sierra de Neiba hold the highest proportion of endemic plant and animal species. In addition, Lake Enriquillo, the Laguna Cabral o Rincón Wildlife Refuge, Bajo Yuna Mangrove National Park, and Jaragua Wetlands have been designated as wetlands of global importance or Ramsar sites. In fact, the Hispaniola Island and Cuba are the largest contributors to the biodiversity of the Caribbean islands, one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots of the world [3], [4]. The Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF) [5] has identified 35 Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) in the Dominican Republic, which cover about 18% of the country’s territory. KBAs are sites of global significance for biodiversity conservation and require priority protection due the vulnerability and uniqueness of the animal and plant populations that reside in them [6], [7].
Some ecosystems and many species are being threatened by various anthropogenic pressures. For example, the extent of broad-leaved cloud forests decreased from 110,487 ha in 1996 to 87,028 ha in 2012; the extent of drago (Pterocarpus officinalis) forests decreased from 4,480 ha to 1,796 ha over the same period [1]. Although data available are still insufficient to assess with certainty the extent of species loss, a total of 181 vertebrate and 547 vascular plant species have been identified as vulnerable or threatened of extinction, as of 2011 [8].
The major threats to the country’s ecosystems are [2], [5], [9], [10], [11]: loss of natural habitats, mainly due to the expansion of agriculture and livestock ranching, tourism development, mining, and energy generation projects; fragmentation and degradation of natural habitats caused by construction or expansion of infrastructure (roads, human settlements, etc.), timber extraction (e.g., for charcoal production), wildfires, and terrestrial and aquatic pollution; overexploitation of native flora and fauna by overfishing, hunting, and illegal collection; climate change impacts on water availability, air and seawater temperature, sea-level, intensity and frequency of hurricanes, etc.; and introduction of invasive exotic species, as well as diseases such as chytridiomycosis on amphibians.
Overall, their insular condition, high level of endemism, and the very narrow distribution ranges of many species make the Dominican flora and fauna extremely vulnerable to changes in biophysical conditions.
Coastal marine ecosystems are particularly critical given the significant role that sand-and-beach tourism, the operation of ports and marinas, and fisheries play in the country’s economy. Concentration of these activities throughout the coastal area pose significant threats such as degradation or even destruction of coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and wetlands; impacts on fishery resources; beach erosion (the Samaná and Altagracia provinces being among the most affected); pollution of coastal waters and rivers; and others.
Key policies and governance approach
The Dominican Republic is a party to several multilateral agreements related to the protection of biodiversity, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and others.
The Dominican Republic ratified the CBD in 1997 and is also party to its Cartagena (since 2006) and Nagoya (since 2015) protocols. Efforts to fulfil its obligations to the convention and develop the regulatory and institutional framework for protecting and sustainably using the country’s biodiversity have been undertaken since then.
The 2000 General Act on Environment and Natural Resources [12] is the principal instrument for mainstreaming biodiversity conservation into other sectors. As part of the preparatory works for formulating the National Biodiversity Strategy, the National Red List of Threatened Species of Flora and Fauna [8] and the National Strategy on Invasive Alien Species [13] were formulated and published in 2011.
Following this, the National Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity and its Action Plan 2011-2020 [11] was published in 2011. Implementation of the Strategy would be steered by an intersectoral, interinstitutional National Committee on Biodiversity established in 2012.
The main mechanism for conserving biodiversity in the Dominican Republic has been the creation of protected areas. The National System of Protected Areas (SINAP) comprises 123 conservation units that protect 1,253,437 ha (25.7%) of the country's land area, plus 4,945,177 ha of its marine area, for a total protected area of 6,998,614 ha (as of 2021). SINAP operation is governed by the sectoral law on protected areas [14]. Regulatory instruments such as management plans, protection and surveillance systems, the National Park Ranger Service, construction of infrastructure for protection, surveillance, and public use have been formulated and implemented for the purpose.
SUCCESSES AND REMAINING CHALLENGES
Despite the high coverage attained by the SINAP, the management of protected areas is still not entirely effective. Most protected areas include a significant presence of human settlements and activities such as agriculture and livestock ranching that pose significant threats to the integrity of the ecosystems protected [15]. Land use planning and strengthened environmental regulations are required for containing the impact of such activities. The fifth national report to the CBD recognized that the pressure factors and threats on the country’s biodiversity have not been significantly reduced since the fourth national report.
Initiatives and Development Plans
An Endowment Fund for Protected Areas was recently established, and a process for preparing a Financial Sustainability Plan for SINAP was initiated. Guidelines have been formulated for establishing a National System for Biodiversity Monitoring. The business sector (e.g. Bon Agroindustrial and Fundación Propa-Gas) has been engaged in biodiversity conservation activities. In 2007, the Caribbean Biodiversity Corridor was created by the Ministries of Environment of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. Special conservation programmes for the recovery of endangered species such as the rock iguana (Cyclura spp.) and the Amazon Parrot (Amazona spp.), and others have been formulated and are being implemented [9], [10].
Goals and Ambitions
Among other goals, the National Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity and its Action Plan 2011-2020 [11] aims to reduce the rate of loss of natural habitats by 25%, and reduce their degradation and fragmentation.
- Information available on the state and trends of natural ecosystems and species is incomplete or out-of-date. Further efforts are necessary to fill these information gaps.
- Some of the country’s main economic sectors (e.g., tourism) rely on natural resources and are heavily concentrated along coastal areas, with significant environmental impacts. More comprehensive environmental management schemes and instruments (both, regulatory and economic) are necessary for preventing, reducing, or mitigating such impacts.
- Most protected areas include a significant presence of human settlements and activities such as agriculture and livestock ranching that pose significant threats to the integrity of the ecosystems protected [15]. Land use planning and strengthened environmental regulations are required for containing the impact of such activities.
- The National Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity and its Action Plan 2011-2020 [11] has identified concrete measures to improve biodiversity conservation. Implementation of such measures should be strengthened.
[1] Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. 2014. Estudio de uso y cobertura del suelo, 2012.
[4] CEPF Ecosystem Profile The Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot
[5] Key Biodiversity Areas of the Dominican Republic Retrieved October 2021
[9] Quinto Informe Nacional de Biodiversidad
[10] Sixth National Report for the Convention on Biological Diversity.
[12] República Dominicana 2000. Ley General sobre Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales.