Mass land titling begins in Dominican Republic’s protected areas

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader announced the launch of a major land titling initiative in Los Haitises National Park and the Loma Novillero Forest Reserve in Villa Altagracia, covering over 43 million square meters to reinforce the protection of the Dominican Republic’s environmental heritage. Of this, 35.2 million square meters will be regularized in Los Haitises, and 7.9 million in Loma Novillero.

The process will result in officially demarcated title certificates registered under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, in line with the National System of Protected Areas (Sinap). Previously, these lands were divided among multiple public institutions, including the Dominican Agrarian Institute, the Directorate of National Assets, and the CEA, which hindered effective conservation.

President Abinader emphasized the importance of safeguarding shared natural resources, calling it a “sacred duty” of both citizens and the government. This initiative is part of a broader national strategy to document and legally protect protected areas, organized regionally. The government has already titled more than 730 million square meters in Jaragua National Park, Bahía de Las Águilas, and José del Carmen Ramírez National Park.