Reserva Loma Guaconejo
Community-protected forest and a solenodon stronghold
Reserva Loma Guaconejo
A community-managed scientific reserve protecting one of the last remnants of lowland subtropical humid forest on the north coast, critical for endemic species.
Reserva Loma Guaconejo is a 24 square kilometer community-managed scientific reserve protecting one of the last significant remnants of lowland and mid-elevation subtropical humid forest on the Dominican Republic's north coast. Located in the Cordillera Septentrional near the town of Nagua, the reserve is managed by the local community with support from conservation organizations.
The reserve is ecologically important because it protects habitat types that have been almost entirely cleared elsewhere on the north coast for agriculture and development. The forests harbor populations of the critically endangered Hispaniolan solenodon, hutias, the Hispaniolan boa, and a rich diversity of birds including the endemic Bicknell's Thrush (which winters here from its breeding grounds in the northeastern United States and Canada). Guided visits follow maintained trails through dense forest, offering an intimate nature experience far from the tourist circuit. This is an excellent example of community-based conservation in the Dominican Republic.