Dominican Republic: Is Protecting Your Environment a Way to Love Your Country?

 This story by Raíz Climática originally appeared on Global Voices on May 20, 2026. 

This post is part of Global Voices’ May 2026 Spotlight series, “Global crisis, local solutions.” This series will offer stories of resistance and successful climate action, insight into how communities in the Global South are fighting back against the crisis, analysis of what this might mean for future generations, and more. You can support this coverage by donating here.

What does it mean to love your country through environmental care? In the context of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and the degradation of ecosystems, love for one’s country can also be understood as the active protection of the nature that sustains life, the economy, and collective well-being.

Three professionals in ecology and environmental management from the Dominican Republic (DR) reflect on this vision of service to the nation, understood not only as a feeling, but as daily actions aimed at protecting natural resources and ensuring sustainable development for present and future generations.

Brenda Martínez, who holds a degree in Ecology and Environmental Management and currently works as the administrator of the Cañón del Río Gurabo Wildlife Refuge, said that serving the DR represents commitment, responsibility, and love: “Love for nature, for my country, and for the people who depend on natural resources to live. Every decision I make, every conservation action, every workday in the protected area, I undertake with the conviction that I am contributing to a more sustainable future.”

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While she feel proud of the work she is doing, she is also aware of the challenges it involves. “It is not always easy,” she explains, “but it is deeply rewarding to know that my work contributes to preserving the natural wealth of our nation. Serving through environmental protection is, for me, a way of honouring my country with concrete actions and with heart.”

For Mariely Encarnación, an ecologist and environmental manager in the Dominican Republic, loving one’s country through an environmental lens extends beyond the traditional political and geographic notion of patriotism. In her view, it is rooted in an ecological and ethical responsibility toward the natural territory that sustains life — the ecosystems that regulate the climate, the watersheds that provide water, and the biodiversity that shapes both national identity and cultural heritage.

“The homeland from an environmental point of view is, above all, a living system,” she says, “composed of forests, soils, rivers, seas, and mountains that interact with one another and sustain the social and economic dynamics of a nation. Without these elements, the very idea of development lacks foundation. Agricultural production, food security, energy supply, and climate stability depend directly on the health of ecosystems.”

In this sense, she believes, defending and loving one’s country “is not limited to territorial protection against external threats, but also includes the responsible management of natural resources, the conservation of biodiversity, and the restoration of degraded spaces. Caring for the soil means preserving the productive base; protecting water sources means safeguarding life. Conserving forests means guaranteeing climate balance and resilience in the face of extreme events.”

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Threydi Castillo, an ecologist and environmental manager who specialised in Environmental Sustainability for Local and Territorial Development, believes that before discussing love for one’s country, it is important to first understand what the concept of “homeland” truly means.

For many people, patriotism is tied to culture, history, and national identity. Others may associate it with wars, politics, or ideological struggles. However, in the midst of those broader ideas, she says people often overlook the simplest meaning of all: caring for our home so it remains a beautiful and healthy place for present and future generations. This is why, for her, loving the DR means “loving the nation not as an abstract symbol, but as a living territory with its rivers, beaches, mountains, and biodiversity.”

“Every forest lost increases vulnerability to disasters,” she explains. “Every polluted river reduces opportunities. Every irresponsible decision compromises our shared future. Caring for the environment is neither a trend nor a luxury. It is a concrete way of protecting the economy, public health, and social stability. Protecting nature, therefore, is a civic act. Whoever cares for water, reduces pollution, plants a tree, and makes decisions with present and future generations in mind is practicing one of the most real and beautiful forms of love for their country through the simple act of caring for their home.”

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