The Loma Quita Espuela Foundation (FLQE) has been recognized with three prestigious awards in 2024 for its outstanding contributions to environmental conservation and sustainable development in the northeastern region of the Dominican Republic. The FLQE is located in San Francisco de Macoris, Duarte province.
The non-profit organization received the Brugal Believes in its People Award in the Environmental Defense and Protection category, presented by Casa Brugal. The foundation also earned the Dr. Julio A. Brache Arzeno Sustainability Award from the Rica Foundation in the Environment category, and the José Santiago Reinoso Lora Competitive Funds from the Cibao Association for Savings and Loans for the “Fertilizing Life Naturally” initiative.
Jesús Moreno Portalatín, president of the Foundation, along with members of the board of directors, visited the El Jaya newsroom to express their gratitude for the recognition and to emphasize the importance of greater community involvement in environmental conservation.
“The foundation has been awarded in previous years, but receiving three major awards in a single year is truly remarkable,” Moreno stated. “It is important for the community of San Francisco de Macorís to be aware of this and to take pride in having the best-protected forest in the country,” he told the San Francisco de Macoris newspaper editors and reporters.
Since its establishment in 1990 by the late don Alfonso Moreno Martinez, founder of Helados Bon ice cream company, the FLQE has been dedicated to reforestation, environmental education, and ecotourism initiatives, as well as promoting sustainable agriculture and the protection of water resources.
The organization, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, manages the Loma Quita Espuela Scientific Reserve, a 72.5 square kilometer protected area in the Cordillera Septentrional mountain range. The reserve boasts one of the highest concentrations of rainforests in the country and is the source of over 60 rivers and streams, providing water to communities throughout the region.
In its 35 years of environmental work, the foundation has successfully restored over 30% of the forest cover.
The awards from Casa Brugal and the Rica Foundation acknowledge the FLQE’s efforts in forest restoration and the implementation of sustainable production models. The funding from the Cibao Association for Savings and Loans has enabled the foundation to strengthen its “Fertilizing Life Naturally” project, which focuses on producing organic fertilizers and biopesticides as an environmentally friendly alternative for the agricultural sector.
Expanding ecotourism in the region
As part of its conservation and development strategy, the Loma Quita Espuela Foundation is developing plans to expand ecotourism in the Duarte province.
A key project in this initiative is the construction of a Visitor Center at the main entrance of the reserve, aimed at improving public access and promoting recreational activities in nature.
“We want this center to serve as a landmark for visitors and contribute to the development of sustainable tourism in the region,” Moreno explained.
The foundation also promotes the inclusion of rural communities in ecotourism through projects like Rancho Don Lulú, where visitors can experience rural life, participate in cacao harvesting, and enjoy local cuisine. They are also developing ecotourism circuits that connect the reserve with other natural areas, including Guaconejo and Salcedo.
“San Francisco de Macorís has immense potential in ecotourism, but it needs to be promoted and developed. Our Loma Quita Espuela Scientific Reserve is a biodiversity hotspot with global recognition,” Moreno stated.
Towards greater institutional integration
Moreno emphasized the need for greater collaboration between the public and private sectors to enhance environmental conservation and economic development in San Francisco de Macorís.
“We need to create a unified vision on the importance of protecting natural resources,” he said. “We must consolidate a sense of unity so that environmental management becomes a shared priority among institutions, businesses, and the community.”
The foundation has been engaging with the Economic and Social Council and other local entities to establish collaborative strategies. The organization is also a member of the Duarte Province Ecotourism Council, established under Law 8-23, which designates the province as an ecotourism zone.
The impact of the Foundation extends beyond environmental conservation, reflecting its contribution to the well-being of communities near the reserve. In recent years, it has trained over 10,000 people in biodiversity, agroecology, and climate change, and has facilitated the reforestation of more than 100,000 tareas (1 tarea = 625 sq meters) of land.
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El Jaya
17 March 2025