The city government of Santo Domingo, under a PLD administration, is replacing trees on city streets with palm, mahogany and oak trees, in addition to those known as casuarinas and javillas. Protests have been staged for the removal of trees in avenue divisions to make way for the planting of flowers. According to a note in Hoy newspaper, secretary general of the city government, Domingo Contreras, in a press conference explained that maintenance of flower gardens is more costly than the upkeep of trees, and thus the city government will be planting trees. He said furthermore that the city suffered when the private sector “godfathers” of city avenue green spaces abandoned them due to the present economic crisis. According to Contreras, the Programa de Defensoria y Uso del Espacio Publico contemplates planting a single species of tree endemic to the Dominican Republic. This type of tree would be hurricane-resistant and would not obstruct the city street cabling, nor increase maintenance costs, as did the acacia trees, by shedding their leaves continuously. He said that in March the city government would publish a guide to the norms for planting on public urban areas. Lastly, he announced that the city government would update the flora at the Avenida Nunez de Caceres, rescuing the 27 de Febrero, Churchill, Tiradentes avenues.