The Dominican Republic has had a decline in mangroves over the last 50 years. Mangroves have acted as a defense for coastal areas against hurricanes during hurricane season. They are a natural barrier against rising sea levels. Despite how they are seen, usually as mosquito-ridden and swampy, they are an important part of Dominican ecology.
Coastal erosion is an ongoing issue, and the preservation of mangroves would aid in the further sustainability of these coastal areas.
To preserve the mangrove trees, on World Mangrove Day which was held on July 26, a major conservation plan was launched by Grupo Jaragua, an environmental non-governmental organization based in the Dominican Republic in partnership with an island conservation organization, Seacology to raise public awareness about the importance of mangroves to the ecosystem and how preserving it, will help the natural biodiversity.
Conservation efforts on the island are on a smaller scale currently, this new project is expected to last five years and broaden the scope of conservation efforts to a national level.
Sources :
https://geographical.co.uk/places/forests/item/4104-saving-mangroves-in-the-dominican-republic
http://www.fao.org/forestry/mangrove/vegetation/en/dom/
