A report from the National Statistics Office (ONE) reveals that the Dominican Republic's vital nature reserves—acting as natural hurricane barriers—have also borne the brunt of severe storms, facing up to 20 cyclones each between 1990 and 2025. Strict Protection Areas and Habitat and Species Management Areas each recorded 20 historical events, while National Parks faced 15, Protected Landscapes 12, and Nature Reserves 10.
While these ecosystems provide essential biodiversity conservation, water regulation, soil protection, and risk reduction, their coastal and mountainous locations place them directly in the path of tropical cyclones. This recurring exposure creates a distinct conservation paradox, leaving the very lands that mitigate storm impacts exposed to severe damage and presenting ongoing challenges for preventive management.
