Valle Nuevo National Park remains public, Environment Ministry clarifies

Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources clarified that Valle Nuevo National Park has not been privatized and remains open to the public. Visitors can continue accessing and touring the protected area by paying the standard admission fee of RD$150.

Authorities explained that the camping charge applies only to the newly designated “Garden of Eden” zone, an area created to organize overnight stays within the park. According to the ministry, this initiative aims to regulate camping activities that were previously carried out without oversight, causing environmental impacts on the ecosystem.

The project, launched in 2021, was developed to promote sustainable recreation through controlled camping spaces, low-impact infrastructure, and environmental education. The ministry noted that the site operates under an ecotourism concession model, which allows private operators to provide services without transferring ownership of the land. Officials stressed that the area remains public property under government supervision and forms part of broader conservation and visitor-management efforts within the National System of Protected Areas. Other protected sites using similar models include Cotubanamá National Park, home to Saona Island, as well as Catalina Island and Damajagua Falls.