Saona and its beauties
It is also under the umbrella of the Sectoral Law of Protected Areas 202-04. Within the Eastern National Park, three life zones are distinguished: humid forest, dry forest and transition forest between the previous two. The annual precipitation is around 1,340 mm with two rainy periods, the period with the highest precipitation being from May to November, which coincides with the cyclonic season period and with an average annual temperature of 27°C. Within the island there are masses of forests, coastal areas, beaches, mangroves, inlets, rock shelters, cliffs, wetlands and valuable enclaves of historical and cultural resources. Its total area is 791.9 km²1 and Saona Island is included within it.
Its beautiful beaches, with blue-green waters, are kept in good condition, as they are constantly cleaned. There is an association and a neighborhood council that promotes the development of the town. Only about 3% of the tourists who come to the island have the opportunity to visit the town because tourists are generally concentrated on the side of the tourist concessions located further west on the south coast.
Saona Island has an area of about 110 km2 with characteristics of life zones typical of the Cotubanamá National Park. Currently on Saona Island there are two towns called Mano Juan and Catuano, within which the first includes the largest population that lives on the island. In Catuano is the post based on Saona Island of the Dominican Republic Navy. The existing permanent population in Mano Juan is around 300 inhabitants and about 120 households that live mainly from fishing and certain economic activity generated by the tourism that visits the island. Located 19 kilometers south of the mainland, the beautiful beaches of Saona Island attract more visitors than all the Dominican national parks combined. The island is visited by around 1 million tourists, mostly transported by sea from the beach town of Bayahibe. The island is also the most important turtle nesting site in the country.
The Cotubanamá National Park is located in the extreme southeast of the Dominican Republic. It is shaped like a trapezoidal peninsula and is one of the main protected areas in the country. It was declared a national park by Decree 1311 of 1975 and was incorporated into the National System of Protected Areas in the General Law of the Environment and Natural Resources no. 64-00 (hereinafter “Law 64-00”).
Mindri (Agueda):
Jesús
My profession is fishing. There are many ports here in Santo Domingo that you come to and fish, but it is not the same as ours.
Bienvenida
I came to this place with my father in 1951. I used to work as a masseuse, but an illness prevents me from continuing to work, so now I spend my time at home. Electricity allows me to watch television, use a fan at night, and iron my clothes.
Isabel
Solar Energy
Project
Saona Island becomes the first and only island in the hemisphere that has 100% renewable energy 24/7.
The system, developed by the Bayahibe Electricity Company (CEB), is composed of a structure of photovoltaic modules that store energy in sophisticated batteries and provide reliable and continuous electrical service. They are state-of-the-art modules with an initial storage capacity of 5 MWh (megawatt hours) and could be expanded depending on the economic and social development of the community.
Implement clean energy solutions to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of Saona Island and its visitors, and promote the development of ecotourism in this area.
- Photovoltaic solar installation: Composed of 1,800 photovoltaic modules.
- Energy storage system powered by batteries with a capacity of 5 MWh.
“We want Saona to be the flagship for the development of other similar projects throughout the region”
Rolando González Búnter, president of InterEnergy Group
- Open dialogue with the community .
- Community development programs in education, health, sports, security and basic services.
- Correction and improvement of the electrical infrastructure of more than 160 homes, businesses and commercial premises.
- Donation of energy to school and polyclinic for better functioning.
- Cleaning and waste management activities in the area.
- Community talks especially aimed at women to enhance their economic development, leadership, health and well-being.
