Environment Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez warned yesterday, Monday 11 May 2015 that farmers would not be allowed to plant in the areas affected by forest fires across the country under any circumstances.
He said that the Ministry had plans for these areas in order to reforest them and the work would begin once the rainy season started. He went on to say that any unauthorized person found planting in these locations would be prosecuted.
The reforestation plans are in place for the areas affected, including Loma Miranda, Los Haitises, Sierra de Neiba, Martin Garcia, as well as parts of the woodland in the municipalities of Dajabon, Santiago Rodriguez and Constanza.
Some 14 persons have been arrested accused of arson in the forests. Slash and burn is a regular farming practice that in times of drought has major consequences of large forest fires.
Medio Ambiente no permitirá actividades agrícolas en terrenos afectados por incendios