SANTO DOMINGO.– The Ministries of Defense and Environment and Natural Resources launched Operation "Environmental Commitment 2026" last Friday, an inter-institutional deployment that seeks to strengthen surveillance and recover protected areas affected by illegal activities in six national parks of the country.
The operational day is taking place simultaneously in the national parks of Los Haitises, Valle Nuevo, Sierra de Bahoruco, José del Carmen Ramírez, Armando Bermúdez and La Humeadora, where specialized brigades carry out control, surveillance and recovery work in areas impacted by the irregular occupation of land, logging and burning of trees, slash-and-burn agriculture, illegal fishing and other environmental crimes.
SENPA leads the intervention
According to an official statement, the operation is being carried out by the National Environmental Protection Service (SENPA), a specialized agency of the Ministry of Defense, in coordination with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, which is responsible for the administration and conservation of protected areas.
Also participating are the Dominican Republic Army, Navy, Air Force, General Directorate of Migration, Ministry of Agriculture, Specialized Prosecutor's Office for the Defense of the Environment and Natural Resources, and other state institutions.
They seek to strengthen the protection of protected areas
The Ministry of Defense reported that the operation is part of the Government's ongoing efforts to strengthen the protection of natural heritage, ensure compliance with environmental legislation, and recover ecosystems affected by illegal activities.
The institution indicated that the Armed Forces will continue to support environmental monitoring efforts, considering that the conservation of natural resources is a strategic component for national security.
Forest and watershed restoration
According to the authorities, the operation also aims to protect the forests, watersheds and biodiversity present in these protected areas, through control and recovery actions that contribute to the preservation of natural resources and sustainable development.
The Ministry of Environment, in coordination with the other participating institutions, will monitor the interventions to ensure compliance with the measures adopted in each of the national parks included in the operation.
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