Duarte, DR.- The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has granted certifications to 17 nature interpreter guides following their training to enhance ecotourism in the Loma Quita Espuela scientific reserve, located in the Duarte province.
The certifications, which provide these guides with enhanced opportunities to engage in conservation and ecotourism development nationwide, were presented during an event attended by José Elías González, Vice Minister of Forest Resources, representing Minister of the Environment Miguel Ceara Hatton.
The event, presided over by Santa Rosario, representing Jesús Moreno Portalatín, president of the Loma Quita Espuela Foundation, underscored the significance of training initiatives in empowering communities and reinforcing the stewardship of the scientific reserve.
Isabell Bonelly, responsible for Ecotourism at the Vice Ministry of Protected Areas and Biodiversity, also participated in the event.
Vice Minister González encouraged the newly certified guides to maintain their curiosity and continue cultivating a habit of lifelong learning, emphasizing that learning is an ongoing process and urging them to remain thirsty for knowledge.
“Learning doesn’t end with this course; it’s just the beginning. I congratulate you and urge you to never lose your desire to learn, always maintain a thirst for knowledge, and never fear not knowing,” she remarked.
Victor Imbert, a member of the Loma Quita Espuelas Guides Association, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMARN) and the Loma Quita Espuela Foundation for providing the opportunity for training and subsequent certification.
“On behalf of the association, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of the Environment and the Loma Quita Espuela Foundation for the exceptional training they’ve provided, which has equipped us to become dedicated, enthusiastic guides and, above all, committed individuals dedicated to the ongoing preservation of our reserves,” Imbert stated.
The training for the guides was conducted by Professor Adriano Galva at the facilities of the Loma Quita Espuela Foundation, the organization responsible for managing the reserve since its establishment in 1982.