They highlight the lack of awareness among business owners who do not understand that their investment and capital depend on the good health of natural resources (especially in the coastal area), and that without adequate protection of these resources, their business and tourism itself will not be sustainable over time.
SAMANÁ.- The Samaná Environmental Forum warned yesterday about the damage that tourism development, which they believe is being carried out without controls or regulations, is causing to the natural reserves of this province.
“Given the severe deterioration of the natural spaces that characterize the province of Samaná, the Samaná Environmental Forum expresses its deep concern and denounces the uncontrolled development of many productive sectors, especially the tourism sector, which lacks controls and applied regulations,” the environmentalists stated in a document titled “Samaná Environmental Red Alert,” which was released on the television program El Día and of which El Inmobiliario obtained a copy.
They cite a series of situations that they claim to be witnessing, such as the increase in mountain erosion resulting from mining operations throughout the peninsula, a situation that, they say, has become more visible after Hurricane Fiona.
“The development of large projects that, under the guise of the word “sustainability”, will generate serious water supply problems in the communities, especially in Las Terrenas,” the organization stated.
Add to the list the elimination of wetlands and mangroves to be converted into real estate and tourist development zones, without understanding that they are natural barriers of protection against the onslaught of the sea and natural phenomena, as well as excellent CO2 capturers.
“Disappearance of our beaches due to anthropogenic causes (damning of rivers and wetlands, cutting of mangroves and coastal vegetation, uprooting of seagrass meadows, sand extraction, construction of tourist infrastructure within the 60 m limit where construction on the beach is supposedly not allowed, among others) causing rapid erosion and change in the dynamics of the beaches in the face of the energy impacts from the waves.”.
To the list of problems they add also the disappearance of coral reefs along the entire peninsular coast due to land pollution and overfishing, the extinction of forests due to burning and the growth of the agricultural frontier, causing serious damage to biodiversity.
The Samaná Environmental Forum warns about the “incursion into Protected Areas by granting foreign and/or multinational companies our coasts and wetlands to be exploited without regard for the law and attacking its coastline for exploitation.”.
The disruption of the whale mating and calving ecosystem by allowing the massive arrival of cruise ships during the whales' gestation season (the time between conception and birth) would be an unprecedented event lacking environmental impact studies, affecting both these animals and the local economy, according to environmentalists. They point out that whale watching contributed over RD$200 million to the local economy in 2022, thanks to visits from more than 70,000 local and foreign tourists.
Littering in the streets, creating pollution of water, beaches and mountains, and uncontrolled dumps along the roads, which impacts the health of the population and the image of tourism, is another of the problems facing the province, according to the environmental protection entity.
They highlight the lack of awareness among business owners who do not understand that their investment and capital depend on the good health of natural resources (especially in the coastal area), and that without adequate protection of these resources, their business and tourism itself will not be sustainable over time.
The document also refers to the noise pollution produced by bars, nightclubs, and engines (some of them high-caliber) without mufflers, causing unease among residents and tourists.
“Unsustainable and short-sighted development under the short-sighted and indifferent gaze of the current authorities. This is a warning to the people of Samaná, to all Dominicans, to the authorities who still bear some degree of responsibility, to the senator, to the governor, to the business community,” the Forum representatives emphasized.
They emphasize that Samaná must be cared for and preserved, its development must be controlled, and the quality of life of its inhabitants must take precedence over the political, partisan, and economic interests of powerful groups. "Will we let Samaná be destroyed? Or will we do something?" they ask.
What they propose
Review and implement the Samaná development strategy under the approach of sustainability and resilience, so that the Ministry of Environment and Tourism work together, with a common and coherent development strategy, in which sustainability and the care of natural and tourist resources is its cross-cutting line.
They also suggest creating appropriate structures for the disposal and final management of solid waste, launching a public awareness campaign about littering, and enforcing environmental laws and the territorial planning plan.
They also recommend applying the law and regulations on the prevention, suppression and limitation of harmful noise, halting works that do not have environmental impact studies and those that are carrying out activities that are not included in their applications, such as environmental impact studies and permits.
“This alert reflects the genuine concern of this organization, as well as that of citizens who wish to support long-term development that ensures the population is protected economically, socially, and environmentally,” the activists explain.
They expressed their willingness to work with the relevant authorities and organizations to strengthen their commitment to protecting Samaná's natural resources and supporting sustainable social and economic development, and invited all those concerned about Samaná's future to join their call.
