Environmental coalition urges action to protect Yuna River

Santo Domingo.- The Coalition for the Defense of Protected Areas, a collective of Dominican environmental organizations, is advocating for the preservation of the Yuna River, which is under threat from excessive exploitation. The coalition, which includes groups such as the Academy of Sciences of the Dominican Republic, the Environmental Commission of the UASD, and the Green Action Foundation, among others, has joined forces with farmers and community members from Bonao and other towns to halt the river’s ongoing degradation.

The Yuna River, the largest in the insular Caribbean, is at risk of disappearing if the destruction of its basin continues. Spanning over 200 kilometers with a basin area of more than 2,900 square kilometers, the river is crucial for the island’s water supply, supporting 60% of central Cibao’s agricultural production and more than half of the country’s hydroelectric power.

The coalition highlights that the river’s mountain forests, which sustain its flow, are being severely impacted by activities like agriculture, livestock, mining, and real estate development, all of which conflict with land use regulations.