Mangrove deforestation in the Dominican Republic, 1969 to 2012

Abstract

The twin objectives of this study are to refine our understanding of the changes in mangrove area in the Dominican Republic over the period of rapid tourist expansion and to assess if mangrove forests in tourist locations have been deforested at a similar rate as areas without a dominant tourist sector. Additionally, by analyzing all mangrove forests in the Dominican Republic, including field visitation, this analysis will shed light on the actual areal extent of mangroves that remain in the Dominican Republic and the historic levels required to calculate accurate annual deforestation rates.