Costa Rican Environmental Mission Visits the Dominican Republic for Exchange on Forestry Policy

Omar Ramírez Tejada, Environment Minister, received an Environment delegation from Costa Rica. The group is visiting the DR to become familiar with the details of the National Reforestation Plan of Quisqueya Verde.

Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic are developing an exchange program that entails information about forestry policy.

The group, which will be in our country for a week, is made up of 8 professionals from the public and private sector who form part of the Costa Rican commission of the National Campaign “To Plant a Tree,” created by the Costa Rican government in conjunction with the private sector, according to the Environment Ministry’s Office of Communication.

Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic are developing an exchange program that entails information about forestry policy. Both countries are part of a small group of Caribbean nations that, in recent years, have increased their reforestation efforts and coverage.

Ramírez Tejada stressed that Quisqueya Verde is no longer a simple government program but has become state policy. The plan began in 1997 and has had an enormous impact in the entire country. Millions of trees have been planted around the country, making the DR a model for the region.

Members of the delegation include Jorge Mario Rodríguez Zúñiga, Executve Director of the National Fund for Forest Financing; Omar Hernández Ávila, Forestry Process Coordinator of the ICE; Sebastián Ugalde Alfaro, Exective Director of the Costa Rican Forestery Chamber; Guillermo Alejandro Mena Aguilar, Environmental Director of the National Strength and Light Company; Alfonso Barrantes Rodríguez, Executive Director of the National Reforestaion Office; Ileana Garbanzo Acosta, Alberto Carranza González and Guillermo Rodríguez of the Reforestation Dampaign of the AyA.

The Dominican delegation includes Deputy Secretary of Forestry Resources, Arístides Santana; Manuel Serrano, Director of the National Quisqueya Verde Plan; Ramón Díaz, Technical Coordinator of the Forestry Resources and José Enrique Báez, Director of Reforestation, among others.

Omar Ramírez Tejada received, on Monday, the Environment Ministry delegation from Costa Rica. Picture: Milton González