I've made public a complaint against actions by Constructora Bisono, owners of Balcones del Atlantico in Las Terrenas, due to damages caused to a wetland area allegedly used by migratory birds. It is my understanding that SEMARENA, the country's office of the environment, has undertaken the complaint and proceded to investigate. I have no further news, but it is a personal concern about Las Terrenas and Samana in general that instead of incorporating the environment into their design, most projects have done what's usual: destroy. The complain against Balcones appears on http://terraccion.blogspot.com/2009/02/protesta-contra-balcones-del-atlantico.html. Though Balcones has taken steps in some areas to preserve and remedy some conditions and has made these public through aggressive PR campaigns using hired PR managers, it is also true that, unfortunately, their original design did not incorporate basic common sense values about preservation and conservation. It is also true that they appear to be doing better than many or most development projects in the area and/or province, yet permanent damages are too costly to all. Development is good and needed, but there must be a balance with environmental concerns, as part of an overall social justice outlook. Development without environmental protection and conservation is simply exploitation of land and people.
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