Dominican Republic has recorded notable progress in terms of reforestation for a decade, going from 14,126 hectares in 2013 to 131,338 in 2023, for an increase in the reforested area of
The document has a section that highlights that 2013, 2019 (13,783) and 2023 were the years with the largest reforested area in hectares. It also points out that the average number of trees planted by area from 2010 to 2023 is 9,030,224.
The yearbook, which is based on the administrative records of the Ministry of Environmentalso highlights that during the years 2021 (7,064) and 2022 (6,831) there was a reduction in the amount of reforested area, something attributed to the “poor availability of imported seeds” and “high periods of drought.”
The publication of the ONE adds that 2013, 2019 and 2018 recorded the highest number of “forest trees planted by areas” in the period 2010-2023 with 11,207,703, 11,137,517 and 10,840,328 plants, respectively.
Plan National of Reforestation
In June 2023, the government announced the Plan National of Reforestation and Restoration 2023-2024 that contemplated planting 320,000 tasks with 20 million seedlings in two years (first stage) and also the restoration of forest ecosystems, as explained by the authorities.
A recent report from Ministry of Environment details that, to date, 82% of the goal has been achieved after planting 16.5 million trees. It adds that 2,843 days of reforestation in which 656 entities have participated.
Second phase
The completion of the first stage of the plan is scheduled for June 5, 2025, which sought to cover 200 square kilometers of Dominican territory.
At the end of October of this year, the vice minister of Resources ForestryJosé Elías González, informed Diario Libre that Environment prepared a second part of the plan at the end of the first stage.
“We want to be more ambitious because the country’s goal is to cover almost 5,000 more square kilometers. We need a lot of resources for that, we have to negotiate with the Executive Branch to see how far we can go with the budget, but it is a more ambitious phase,” he explained in detail. that moment the official.
In that sense, he explained that each plant costs that institution 22 pesos for its production and that the transportation to plant also has its cost, as does its subsequent care.
Asked about the areas that will be prioritized within the framework of the second stage of the plan, González stated that they focus, as in the first phase, on the most important hydrographic basins in the country.
About the Yearbook
At the presentation of the Yearbook of Statistics Environmental of 2024, the ONE highlights that the objective is “to provide statistical data on the main environmental characteristics of the country, such as the conditions and quality of the environment, natural resources and their use, waste generation, extreme events, human settlements, environmental health , and environmental protection and management policies”.
“This yearbook seeks to position itself as an essential tool for the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of policies, plans and programs that promote sustainable development and environmental management in the Dominican Republic“, highlights the presentation made by the head of the ONEMiosotis Rivas.
