Earth Day 2026: a concrete commitment in the Dominican Republic

Earth Day is an opportunity to reflect on global environmental challenges and to celebrate concrete actions in favor of our planet. Every year, on April 22, we are called to renew our commitment to a greener and more sustainable future. But how can we turn words into action?

In the Dominican Republic, the first steps are being taken toward the development of a new project: EcoEnriquillo is a sustainable territorial development initiative implemented by AVSI in the Dominican Republic, in collaboration with AVAID, in the area of influence of Lago Enriquillo National Park. Its objective is to contribute to biodiversity conservation and to the strengthening of environmental governance, while simultaneously supporting improvements in the living conditions of local communities.

The one-year initiative is funded by the Canton of Ticino through the FOSIT calls for proposals and will conclude in December 2026.

The Lago Enriquillo area is one of the most unique ecosystems in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean, both for its environmental and landscape value and for its cultural and social significance. However, this importance also entails several challenges related to the sustainable use of natural resources and the socio‑economic vulnerability of the surrounding communities.

In this context, EcoEnriquillo is a project that brings together environmental conservation and local development through a participatory and multi‑stakeholder approach. Public institutions, community organizations, local associations, young people, and small producers are involved in the initiative, recognized as key actors in the territory’s sustainable development and jointly responsible for the protection of the protected area.

The project’s first objective is to promote the participatory management of the area as foreseen by the Management Plan of Lago Enriquillo National Park (updated as part of an AVSI project funded by CEPF), by deepening knowledge of the document and ensuring that communities in the area feel like protagonists in its implementation.

Another line of action—representing the true heart of the project—is the promotion of sustainable ecotourism as an opportunity for local development. This will be achieved through the training of local ecotourism guides, community organizations of young people, small producers, and local entrepreneurs. Through workshops and accompaniment activities, the project aims to enhance the area’s various ecotourism routes, strengthen capacities for welcoming visitors (including proficiency in the English language), and promote the processing and marketing of traditional local products.

A central element of this component is the participatory creation of ecotourism packages and support for the management of the café–gift shop at the Park’s Visitor Center.

The project’s final component focuses on environmental education for young people. The core pedagogical tool will be art: the project includes classes with a local artist and the creation of small handicraft items, including stone‑ and wood‑engraved keychains, as well as an artistic competition. The educational materials needed for the training of students and teachers from educational centers in the Lago Enriquillo area of influence will be developed in collaboration with the Educational Materials Division of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic.