Border provinces are losing forestry coverage

Dolores

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 20, 2019
17,042
2,699
93
Panoramica-carretera-Internacional-Diario-Libre-1024x547.png


A government report reveals that border provinces are rapidly losing their forest coverage. Diario Libre headlines that six border provinces have lost more than 100 km2 of forestry coverage in the past 22 years. The Border Monitor revealed that Pedernales, the most southern border province, and Montecristi, the most northern border province are the most affected.

According to the Border Monitor, developed by the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development, in 2023 the forest coverage of the Dominican Republic was 48.9%, down six points from 2000 when it reportedly was at 54.9%.

The six provinces on the border with Haiti that have lost the most forestry coverage are Pedernales (197.4), Montecristi (178.2), Independencia (145.5), Dajabón (131.8), Santiago Rodríguez (124.4) and Elías Piña (119.4).

Read more in...

Continue reading...
 
Last edited by a moderator:

MoJoInDR

Banned
Aug 23, 2023
495
193
43
Austin, Texas
It reminds me of the hills/mountains that border Gonaives to the west. Very stark. OTOH, when I went to the southern mountians in 2019, it was very lucious.
What should be worrying is not just the lack of vegetation, but the soil denudation (which includes erosion) that follows, as this makes the situation even worse. Once this sets in it becomes more difficult to restore the vegetation. It can be done, but it can take years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CristoRey

El Hijo de Manolo

It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous!
Dec 10, 2021
4,928
3,186
113
Dominican Republic
What should be worrying is not just the lack of vegetation, but the soil denudation (which includes erosion) that follows, as this makes the situation even worse. Once this sets in it becomes more difficult to restore the vegetation. It can be done, but it can take years.
This is interesting. This is what the "Internet" has to say on this:

"The concern over soil denudation, which includes erosion, extends beyond just the lack of vegetation. This process significantly worsens the environmental situation, as it makes restoring vegetation much harder. Once soil erosion sets in, it becomes increasingly difficult to reverse, requiring years to restore the vegetation fully."

I just can't help to notice the similarities. In fact, it basically says the exact same thing as your post!
 
  • Haha
Reactions: JD Jones

NanSanPedro

Nickel with tin plating
Apr 12, 2019
7,245
6,298
113
Boca Chica
yeshaiticanprogram.com
What should be worrying is not just the lack of vegetation, but the soil denudation (which includes erosion) that follows, as this makes the situation even worse. Once this sets in it becomes more difficult to restore the vegetation. It can be done, but it can take years.
Exactly. I saw the effects of this in Gonaives first hand.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
33,231
6,640
113
dr1.com
This is interesting. This is what the "Internet" has to say on this:

"The concern over soil denudation, which includes erosion, extends beyond just the lack of vegetation. This process significantly worsens the environmental situation, as it makes restoring vegetation much harder. Once soil erosion sets in, it becomes increasingly difficult to reverse, requiring years to restore the vegetation fully."

I just can't help to notice the similarities. In fact, it basically says the exact same thing as your post!
What's your point?
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
12,500
8,763
113
Most Haitians are afraid to cook with gas.
I often wonder if the border patrol (during the last administration)
took bribes and allowed so much charcoal to be smuggled
back across the border to Haiti.
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
14,098
3,504
113
Try reading my comment again... Maybe you misunderstood my five-word sentence.

Then... Try reading — and understanding — the article.
Forest cover is actually growing in only a few handful countries in the Western Hemisphere and the DR is one of them. So what exactly is there to understand? That “it isn’t good” to lose forest cover? Well, it isn’t. Places that are seeing a shrinkage should be worried for things like water supply in the near and medium future.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
33,231
6,640
113
dr1.com
Forest cover is actually growing in only a few handful countries in the Western Hemisphere and the DR is one of them. So what exactly is there to understand? That “it isn’t good” to lose forest cover? Well, it isn’t. Places that are seeing a shrinkage should be worried for things like water supply in the near and medium future.
There is less forest coverage in six border provinces than 5 years ago. Perhaps overall there is more forest cover in the country as a whole but it is worrisome that six border provinces have less.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
13,476
9,702
113
There is less forest coverage in six border provinces than 5 years ago. Perhaps overall there is more forest cover in the country as a whole but it is worrisome that six border provinces have less.
What they may be calling forest coverage is including all of the "Plant trees" campaigns that have been organized over the last few years.
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
14,098
3,504
113
There is less forest coverage in six border provinces than 5 years ago. Perhaps overall there is more forest cover in the country as a whole but it is worrisome that six border provinces have less.
That’s obvious, but like with population weight on a national level (I’ll be surprised if the population of all border provinces combined amount to 10% of the national population, there are towns with more people than provinces like Elías Piña to name one), landwise border provinces are a small part of the country. That’s not really something that will affect where the bulk of the country lives. A decrease of forest cover in provinces like La Vega, Azua or Santiago would be more worrisome since many of the major rivers are born in national parks covering part of those provinces and a few others. Most of the forest is also not in birder provinces.
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
14,098
3,504
113
What they may be calling forest coverage is including all of the "Plant trees" campaigns that have been organized over the last few years.
That’s how Puerto Rico became forested again after being the most deforested island in the Caribbean.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
33,231
6,640
113
dr1.com
That’s obvious, but like with population weight on a national level (I’ll be surprised if the population of all border provinces combined amount to 10% of the national population, there are towns with more people than provinces like Elías Piña to name one), landwise border provinces are a small part of the country. That’s not really something that will affect where the bulk of the country lives. A decrease of forest cover in provinces like La Vega, Azua or Santiago would be more worrisome since many of the major rivers are born in national parks covering part of those provinces and a few others. Most of the forest is also not in birder provinces.
It is called creep. The area will get larger and large if not policed and taken care of.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MoJoInDR
Nov 9, 2023
409
352
63
SC
Looking at the border areas on google maps it is clear what happens when there is no protection. The creep from the Haitian side is often not limited by the (weak) border but rather a natural border like a river.
IMG_2699.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: bob saunders

MoJoInDR

Banned
Aug 23, 2023
495
193
43
Austin, Texas
Forest cover is actually growing in only a few handful countries in the Western Hemisphere and the DR is one of them. So what exactly is there to understand? That “it isn’t good” to lose forest cover? Well, it isn’t. Places that are seeing a shrinkage should be worried for things like water supply in the near and medium future.
Sounds like you have it all figured out... Carry on.