July 26 is the day dedicated by the United Nations to remember and celebrate the value of mangroves as endangered ecosystems, vital for biodiversity, for the life of plant and marine species. The Caribbean in particular has in the mangroves an environmental treasure that preserves an exquisite beauty.
Mangroves are an effective barrier to protect the coastline and coastal human settlements. They protect the coast against tidal waves and other climatic threats. About 55 mangrove areas have been identified in the Dominican Republic, covering 275 kilometers.
Los Haitises National Park is probably the best known, but the Bajo Yuna area, Montecristi, Laguna Redonda and Limón, among other points of the national geography are home to mangroves, today unfortunately threatened by irresponsible fishing, tourism pressure and pollution.
The fragility of the mangroves, the ignorance of their great value and the lack of consequences for those who destroy them are reasons for concern for the Dominican society.
