Villa Montellano, Puerto Plata.- As part of its commitment to responsible development and compliance with the highest environmental standards, the Punta Bergantín project held a specialized workshop for the contracting companies involved in the project's execution, with the aim of strengthening the implementation of the Environmental Management Plan and the Compensation, Transplanting and Reforestation Plan.

The day combined informative and practical sessions, allowing participants to learn in detail about the environmental guidelines governing the development of the project, as well as the environmental compensation, tree transplanting and reforestation techniques that must be applied during the different phases of construction.

The Environmental Management Plan and the Compensation, Transplanting and Reforestation Plan were formulated to guarantee compliance with the project's environmental license issued by the Environment Ministry, ensuring that the development of Punta Bergantín meets national and international environmental standards.

As part of the Punta Bergantín Environmental Management Plan, the project includes strict measures for the protection of the ecosystems present in the area, including the prohibition of construction within a 60-meter strip from the high tide line and within a 30-meter radius around wetlands and mangroves, the conservation of the four existing mangrove species in the area, the implementation of protocols for the protection of sea turtle nesting, and the planting of approximately 2,500 native and endemic species.

It also incorporates actions aimed at the efficient use of natural resources, including the construction of four treatment plants with aerobic biofiltration to reuse treated water in the irrigation of green areas and the golf course, the implementation of an integrated waste classification and management system, the mandatory use of low energy consumption technologies and the execution of contingency and adaptation plans in the face of extreme weather events.

Similarly, the plan promotes a positive impact on communities by prioritizing the hiring of local labor, providing technical training programs for workers, and establishing permanent mechanisms to address community concerns, in addition to the periodic submission of Environmental Compliance Reports to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

Meanwhile, the Compensation, Transplanting and Reforestation Plan establishes specific measures for the preservation of the flora and ecosystems present within the project area.

These provisions include the protection of wetlands and mangroves through the creation of nurseries; the preservation or transplantation of species included in the Red List of Endangered, Threatened or Protected Species of the Dominican Republic; the implementation of a revegetation plan with native and endemic species; the delimitation and signage of the intervention areas; as well as permanent coordination with the competent vice-ministries and the Provincial Directorate of Puerto Plata to supervise environmental actions during the construction and operation phases.

Leonela Volquez, Director of Community, Sustainability, and Research at Punta Bergantín, stated: “Sustainability depends not only on formulated environmental governance policies, but also on how each company and each worker implements them on the ground. With this workshop, we aim to ensure that our contractors know, understand, and apply the environmental measures that guarantee the protection of natural resources and the responsible development of Punta Bergantín. The conservation of our ecosystems is a shared commitment that forms part of the project's long-term vision.”.

With this type of initiative, the Punta Bergantín project reaffirms that tourism development can advance hand in hand with the conservation of natural heritage, strengthening the capacities of all actors involved in the construction of the project and promoting a culture of environmental compliance, shared responsibility and sustainability.