The Bávaro reef lagoon is an ecological treasure of global importance, housing invaluable marine biodiversity and threatened species protected by national and international laws. In the enclave, the Bávaro Reefs Ecological Foundation has been carrying out a reef restoration project since 2016, in close collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment of the Dominican Republic.
Located on Bibijagua beach, the facilities house a bilingual coral museum and a gardening project in Bull Head. They offer environmental training programs to raise awareness among both the local community and tourists about the importance of marine conservation and encourage sustainable practices.
Among the most notable achievements is the maintenance of one of the most extensive coral nurseries in the country, the implementation of surveillance plans against illegal fishing and the protection of the largest population of green turtles in the Dominican Republic.
However, challenges persist in the tourist area. Boat traffic, overfishing and reef degradation threaten the health of our marine ecosystems. That is why the foundation announced the approval of a special protection regime for the Bávaro Reef Lagoon, aimed at mitigating collisions between tourist boats and sea turtles, by the Ministry of Environment of the Dominican Republic.
The proposal was submitted to the Directorate of Environmental Regulations in September 2023 and discussed at the Scientific Committee Meeting in which it was agreed to form a new Working Group on collisions of tourist and fishing boats with sea turtles composed of the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Caribbean Netherlands, Mexico, Belize and Costa Rica.
The Arrecifes de Bávaro Ecological Foundation was created out of concern for the constant loss of coastal resources in the tourist area of Punta Cana-Bávaro and the decline in the biodiversity of marine life, a problem that concerns all beach users: hotels, tour operators and large-scale tourism companies.
The milestone adds to the recent collaboration with the European tour operator TUIwhich through its TUI Care Foundation It has been collaborating since the beginning of 2024 on a comprehensive restoration project that will extend until 2026.
«Within the framework of TUI Sea the Change Dominican Republic, last month we received a visit from the president of the TUI Care Foundation and person in charge of the program, which is based on 3 main pillars: Protection and restoration of the environment, environmental education and safety practices. sustainable tourism responsible for the marine environment,” indicated its directors.
Finally, they honor the memory of Lieutenant Colonel Karla Cuervo with the inauguration of a scientific interpretation center and coral laboratory. The center, named after her, will be a symbol of our continued commitment to marine conservation.
Furthermore, lThe Arrecifes de Bávaro Ecological Foundation reaffirms its commitment to the conservation of the marine environment and the promotion of sustainable practices. “Our efforts continue to inspire positive change in our community and beyond. We trust in the support of all users and beneficiaries of Playa Bávaro who want to collaborate in our project.”
