Glencore Nickel Dominican miner wants probe into poached lumber

Bonao, Dominican Republic.- The mining company Falconbridge Dominicana (FALCONDO) on Tuesday asked the Environment Ministry to investigate alleged poaching of trees in the area of Loma Miranda (central).

In a statement Falcondo said it owns in the area of ??more than 6,000 hectares, where it has installed a nursery which can produce 100,000 seedlings per year and thus far have used 170,000 to reforest and conserve the Jagiiey River’s entire basin.

“The mining company understands that the Environment Ministry must respond to individuals and institutions concerned with the situation and clarifies that part of the land owned by the company in Loma Miranda, Loma Caribe, Loma Peguera and Loma Ortega are also being affected by illegally lumbering and had filed the complaint to appropriate authorities,” the statement said.

“Falcondo reaffirms its commitment to preserve the environment, flora, fauna and water resources, both in areas where it operates and in areas outside its influence,” the miner said, citing as an example the last quarter of last year, “when we planted 200,000 trees jointly with the Environment of and the Energy and Mines ministries, and community organizations in the Yuna River basin.”