In a vibrant celebration of three decades of environmental stewardship in the Dominican Republic, The Nature Conservancy hosted its 30th Anniversary Conservation Summit in Santo Domingo, bringing together leaders from government, civil society, academia and the private sector to reflect on past achievements and chart a bold course for the future of conservation in the Caribbean.
The summit highlighted TNC’s enduring commitment to protecting the Dominican Republic’s rich biodiversity, from its lush mountain forests to its coral reefs and coastal ecosystems. Over the past 30 years, TNC has led transformative initiatives such as the Water Funds program, which contributes to the water governance and clean water for communities by restoring upstream forests and promoting sustainable agriculture; and CoralCarib, an initiative pioneering coral reef restoration using cutting-edge techniques like microfragmentation and assisted reproduction.
Keynote addresses from TNC’s national and international leaders included calls for urgent action on climate resilience, marine protection and sustainable tourism. One of the summit’s focal points was the growing threat of sargassum blooms, with prominent voices like Frank Rainieri (chairman and founder of Grupo Puntacana) urging international collaboration to develop sustainable solutions for collection and reuse.
Panel discussions explored opportunities for scaling nature-based solutions through climate finance, including potential for a Project Finance for Permanence, a powerful model for long-term conservation where stakeholders formally adopt a full conservation plan and funding commitments to protect systems of conservation areas for generations to come. TNC emphasized the importance of inclusive conservation, spotlighting community-led efforts and the role of local organizations such as PROMICHES in advancing regenerative tourism and coastal protection.
The summit served as a powerful reminder that conservation is not just about protecting nature, it’s about securing a future where people and nature thrive together. With renewed energy and a growing network of partners, we reaffirmed our mission to make the next 30 years even more impactful for the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean region.
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