Dominican Ecologists Link Love of Country to Ecology

Why this is here: Each lost forest increases vulnerability to disasters, highlighting the direct link between environmental health and national resilience.

Brenda Martínez, Mariely Encarnación, and Threydi Castillo—ecologists in the Dominican Republic—connect environmental protection with patriotic duty. The three professionals view caring for the natural world as an active expression of love for their country. They emphasize that a healthy environment supports the economy, public health, and the well-being of current and future generations.

Encarnación notes that a nation’s “homeland” is fundamentally a living system. It consists of forests, rivers, and mountains that sustain both social and economic life. Castillo adds that loving one’s country means valuing the land—rivers, beaches, mountains, and biodiversity—as a home for present and future families.

While they find their work rewarding, the ecologists acknowledge ongoing challenges to conservation. They continue to work toward sustainable development and ecological preservation in the Dominican Republic.