Debt-for-Nature Swap in the Dominican Republic
Case Study C0216
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| Date | 1993 |
| Agency | Government of the Dominican Republic |
| Donor/support agency | The Nature Conservancy (TNC) The Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico (TCT) |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Protected area |
| Geographic coverage | Dominican Republic |
| Biodiversity focus | Ecosystem/landscape |
| Development focus | Local communities |
| Conservation goals | Strengthen the conservation of existing protected areas |
| Poverty reduction goals | Improve the livelihoods of local communities through environmentally sustainable activities |
Summary
The recognition, in the 1980s, of the gradual deterioration of renewable natural resources in the Dominican Republic drew the attention of several public and private conservation organisations. However, many of the early conservation projects failed due to a lack of funds and institutional implementation capacity. In response to this situation, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and The Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico (TCT) decided to fund a debt-for-nature swap programme in the Dominican Republic, but only after having prepared a strategy to remedy to institutional dispersion, policy incongruity, and insufficient funding in the country. This strategy was mainly based on the creation of a non profit conservation association which would take over many of the duties normally carried out by the Government bodies. Thus, in 1990 the organisation PRONATURA was established. PRONATURA then presented to the Monetary Authority of the Dominican Republic an institutional model for a debt-for-nature swap to be financed by TNC and TCT. The project was soon approved, with a total of $80 million of debt swapped.
Four projects, for a total area of 11.410 hectares, were selected to be financed within this debt-for-nature swap: Isla Cabritos National Park; Arroyo Parra Microwatershed; Ebano Verde Scientific Reserve; Diego Ocampo Mountain. The following are some of the goals pursued by these projects: improve the conservation of these potected areas; protect the mountain's forest resources and water capacity; plant new trees, especially in erosion-prone areas; train farmers to promote and monitor conservation in the protected areas; train local communities in renewable natural resource management and conservation techniques; create protected areas that will serve as models for the rest of the country.
Conservation impact
Not known
Poverty reduction impact
The Dominican Republic foreign debt was reduce by $80 million.
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Payments for conservation services
Reference 1
http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/006/T0670E/T0670E00.HTM
Related records above this one:
- The Nature Conservancy (TNC) (Organisation O0078)
Similar record to this one:
- Debt-for-Nature Swap in the Philippines (Case study C0215)
- Debt-for-Nature Swap in Ecuador (Case study C0213)
- Debt-for-Nature Swap in Bolivia (Case study C0211)
- Debt-for-Nature Swap in Madagascar (Case study C0214)