The director of Parks, Omar Ramírez said that this time around the city should be replanted with native species of trees that are more resistant to tropical storms than the imported varieties that were planted in recent years. He said that after the passing of Hurricane David in 1979 the government planted imported species because these grew faster, but these were the species that most suffered from the winds of Hurricane Georges in 1998. He said that as part of the National Reforestation Plan, Green Quisqueya, and working with institutions such as the Department of Forestry, the National Botanical Gardens, the National Department of Parks is preparing a proposal that will be delivered to the Municipality of Santo Domingo for the planting of native and endemic trees in the city. He said that the government is also including as part of the proposal the permanent implementing of programs for branch pruning prior to the hurricane season of each year in order to avoid major damages and less debris after the passing of a tropical storm. The DR had not been affected by a major hurricane in 20 years, yet the country is in a high risk area. He said that in the Avenida Bolivar, where the branches had been pruned shortly prior to the hurricane, the state electricity utility was able to quickly restore electricity service. He said that the most resistant trees are the mahogany and palm trees as well as trees known as corozo, guanito, mara, Juan I, gri gri, hicacos, pendas, guanitos. Laurels and locust trees (acacias) should not be replanted.
