Dominican Republic: Is protecting your environment a way to love your country?

• Environmental protection is redefined as an act of patriotism, essential for sustaining life, the economy, and the well-being of future generations.
• Three Dominican Republic ecology professionals argue that caring for nature is a civic duty and a concrete service to the nation.

Perspectives from environmental professionals

• Brenda Martínez: Administrator of the Cañón del Río Gurabo Wildlife Refuge, who views her conservation work as a deeply rewarding commitment to the people and the nation that depend on natural resources.
• Mariely Encarnación: An ecologist who argues that the "homeland" is a living system—forests, watersheds, and soils—that must be actively managed to ensure climate stability, food security, and economic health.
• Threydi Castillo: An expert in environmental sustainability who posits that patriotism should transcend abstract symbols to focus on maintaining a healthy territory for present and future generations.

Key implications

• Civic responsibility: Defending a country includes responsible resource management and the restoration of degraded ecosystems, not just protecting borders from external threats.
• Economic and social stability: Forest loss and pollution directly reduce national opportunities and increase vulnerability to disasters.
• Sustainability as love: Caring for the environment is framed not as a luxury or a trend, but as one of the most real forms of love for one's country, ensuring the home remains viable for those to come.