Coral Garden Project in the Dominican Republic
by Global Foundation for Democracy and Development
The Dominican Republic Coral Garden Project is a dynamic public-private initiative to conserve and restore threatened Caribbean coral reefs and associated habitats in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) at Punta Cana, Bayahibe, Samana and Sosua Bay in the Dominican Republic. This project is being implemented by Counterpart International (CPI) and FUNGLODE/GFDD in association with a series of national stakeholders: NGO's, divers' and fishermen's associations, hotel and tourism companies and associations, as well as representatives from the Ministries of Environment and Tourism.
Overview of the Project
The DR Coral Garden Project is a dynamic public-private initiative to conserve and restore threatened Caribbean coral reefs and associated habitats in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) at Punta Cana, Bayahibe, Samana and Sosua Bay in the Dominican Republic . This project is being implemented by Counterpart International (CPI) and FUNGLODE/GFDD in association with a series of national stakeholders: NGO's, divers' and fishermen's associations, hotel and tourism companies and associations, as well as representatives from the Ministries of Environment and Tourism..
Objectives
- Reduce negative impacts from land-based pollution, mass tourism and dive-related tourism, over-fishing and sedimentation on coral reefs in the MPAs through public-private education, technical assistance and training from different sectors of the Dominican Republic.
- Re-establish healthy, reproductive populations of Acropora cervicornis within MPAs at Punta Cana, Bayahibe, Samana and Sosua Bay.
- Build capacity for coral reef conservation among MPA managers, fishing communities, and the dive tourism industry through training of trainers in topics such as coral reef fisheries ecology, destructive reef usage/over-fishing issues, management and stewardship of marine resources.
- Build a network of MPA practitioners throughout the Dominican Republic trained and involved in hands-on, low-tech restoration activities and the monitoring of these activities.
The preservation and reconstruction of the reef systems will contribute directly to the socio-economic development of the coastal settlements and the well-being of its inhabitants. At the same time, it will ensure the sustainable development of tourism and enhance its level of competitiveness.
Methodology for implementation
- Reconnaissance and mapping of existing coral populations and collection of samples from the sites.
- Establish restoration training sites and coral grow-out farms within sheltered lagoonal waters
- Cultivation of corals applying successful and proven methods.
- Establish cross-site transplantation demonstrations for reef locations
- Monitoring the demonstration and collection sites.
- Support for extension and field work by trainees in coral reef restoration in the various MPA sites.
- Conduct follow-up site visits to each partner organization, for evaluation and to provide additional technical assistance in MPA management, reef restoration, community awareness, and education.
- Organize a national training workshop for MPA managers, conservation organizations, and researchers working in MPAs
The Coral Gardens project is being implemented in the country as the product of a partnership between FUNGLODE, GFDD and Counterpart International. This partnership is being reinforced by the National Geographic Society, and other institutions such as Punta Cana Foundation, the Bayahíbe Hotels Association and the Ecological Foundation of Sosúa Bay, among others.
Current status of the project and next steps:
CPI team visited the different selected MPAs in Dominican Republic during the last week of April. The teams will work with groups of multi-sectorial stakeholders to coordinate the project's steps and activities for the upcoming months.