SANTO DOMINGO.- The Executive Branch created 37 new protected areas, bringing Dominican Republic’s spaces reserved as a natural patrimony to 123, the Environment Ministry (Semarena) said in a statement to announce Decree 571-09, to be made public in an activity slated for Friday morning in the park Humedales (wetlands) del Ozama, in North Santo Domingo.

It said on that same day the Aniana Vargas Natural Park will be officially opened, in the community Hatillo, unit it said contribute the most original and natural wealth to the National System of Protected Wilderness Areas (SINAP).

The new protected areas are the Scientific Reserve La Salcedoa, located on the Loma El Peñón del Nuevo Mundo; Scientific Reserve Dicayagua, and the Biological Reserve Sierra Prieta, hmong others.

In addition the Biological Reserve Loma Charco Azul, a representative example of an arid forest and the transitional forest of the northern slopes and the National Park La Española, to conserve the immense cultural patrimony of the historical site La Isabela, Salto de la Jalda National Park, in Miches; National Park Sabana Grande, in Neiba Valley, and the Anacaona National Park in the eastern  Neiba Range

The Decree states that the creation of the Francisco Alberto Caamaño Deñó National Park, near Azua, “aims to conserve the only portion of the Central Mountain Range which borders on the Caribbean Sea.”

Waterfalls, cataracts

Also included are many of the country’s waterfalls and cataracts not already included the protected areas category: Salto de Baiguate, Salto de Jimenoa, in Jarabacoa; Salto de Jima, in Monseñor Noel; El Saltadero, in Cabrera, Salto la Tinaja in the Northern Mountain Range and Salto de Socoa, in Monte Plata.

Lagoons, springs

The Decree also protects the springs Las Marias, on the Neiba Range next to the Galván - Neiba highway, Laguna Gri-Grí; Las Barias, in Las Descubierta; Punta Bayahíbe, and the preservation of the marine sanctuaries, reefs and the Laguna Mallén Wildlife Refuge, in San Pedro, among others.