Dominican Republic faces $75 million yearly loss from mangrove degradation

A study by the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) estimates that the degradation of the Dominican Republic’s mangroves could expose the country to an economic loss of about US$75 million each year. The research links mangrove health to tourism revenue, GDP growth and coastal protection, concluding that preserving these ecosystems is a strategic investment for sustainable development.

At the First National Ocean Forum, economist Víctor Gómez‑Valenzuela presented a Monte Carlo simulation projecting that by 2036 the nation’s key marine ecosystems – coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds and marshes – could reach irreversible degradation. The model predicts annual economic losses ranging from US$102 million to US$300 million, primarily affecting tourism (which generates roughly US$1.8 billion from ecosystem services) and fishing communities. The minister of Environment, Paíno Henríquez, noted that the Dominican Republic has already surpassed the global target of protecting at least 30 % of its marine areas, but warned that further investment in conservation is essential to safeguard the natural capital that underpins the economy.