Protecting the forest: ecotourism generates jobs in the Dominican Republic

In the Saltos de Jima Natural Monument, in the heart of the Dominican Republic, the forest is not just scenery — it’s a source of jobs. The 23 waterfalls that make up this area, 12 of which are open to visitors, draw large numbers of tourists and have become the livelihood of hundreds of families. Protected areas open to tourism in the Dominican Republic receive more than 2 million visitors a year. That number reflects growing interest in natural destinations, and visitors need tourism services, many of which are provided by nearby communities. Andrés Santos is 30 years old and has spent half his life connected to the waterfalls. When the area was declared protected in 2009, he was 14, and he became one of the first in the community to train as a nature guide. Today he chairs the Tourist Guides Association, which brings together local young people. “My greatest pride is that, instead of having to leave this community to look for a job, we can have jobs in our own community,” he says. The link between tourism, jobs, and conservation is no coincidence. It’s part of a broader strategy under the Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA), which, with support from the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), seeks to protect Dominican forests while generating economic opportunities in local communities. This conservation work matters: 85% of the Dominican Republic’s water comes from forests within protected natural areas, which cover roughly 25% of the country’s territory. Under this agreement, the country receives financing for reducing carbon emissions by keeping its forests standing, and 30% of those funds go toward strengthening the management of protected areas and ecotourism within them. These resources help train local guides, improve visitor infrastructure, and create new jobs linked to the sustainable management of the land. They also help build environmental governance to strengthen the protected natural areas system.