Three leading Dominican government agencies have joined forces to launch an ambitious nationwide reforestation program that will see 10 million new trees planted across the country over the next two years. The partnership brings together the Dominican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, national road authority RD Vial, and the General Directorate for the Beautification of Highways and Ring Roads (Digecac) to advance targeted greening of the country’s key transportation infrastructure.
The core objectives of this large-scale project extend far beyond simple tree planting. Planners aim to reverse decades of vegetation loss along busy road corridors, restore natural ground cover that prevents erosion and supports local biodiversity, upgrade the visual aesthetic of major travel routes, and expand the country’s total urban and peri-urban green space footprint.
Organizers have identified a slate of high-priority routes that will receive the earliest and most concentrated planting efforts. These key locations include the Azua Ring Road, Coral Highway, 6 de Noviembre Highway, Juan Pablo II Highway, the segment of Duarte Highway adjacent to the North Ring Road, and Ecological Avenue, alongside other strategically important transportation corridors across the country.
Environment Minister Paíno Henríquez emphasized that the initiative is a tangible demonstration of the current administration’s commitment to environmental restoration and sustainable infrastructure management. He noted that his department has already built the technical capacity and operational framework required to support a mass tree-planting campaign of this scale, and is ready to deliver on its commitments.
To ensure smooth execution and consistent progress, a dedicated inter-agency technical commission will be formed to take on critical coordination tasks. This body will be responsible for outlining detailed implementation strategies, aligning the efforts of all participating organizations, and providing ongoing oversight to track the project’s development against its two-year timeline. RD Vial Director Hostos Rizik Lugo confirmed that the agency has already assembled all required personnel and allocated necessary resources to kick off on-the-ground work immediately. Digecac Director Rodolfo Valera Grullón also reaffirmed his institution’s commitment, pledging full technical and operational support to guarantee the initiative meets its goals.