For nearly 50 years, Earth Day has brought together communities around the world to protect our planet and raise awareness about what threatens it. This year, you can mark the occasion by directly supporting projects that protect mangroves — key players in the fight against rising CO2 levels — in the Dominican Republic.

We want to raise $10,000 to expand three projects in the Caribbean island nation. Each of them involves coastal communities and local NGOs protecting important mangrove habitats around the country by developing mangrove ecotourism. This both protects the threatened mangrove forests and gives local youth a way to make a living without overfishing, logging, or working on unsustainable coastal development. Each project has already made great progress; this additional support will let them make an even bigger impact.

• At Samaná Bay, Seacology funded a boardwalk through a mangrove forest for birdwatching and other ecotourism activities. The crowdfunding campaign will let us fund a visitors’ center and a bridge, for better access during the wet season.
• At Montecristi Province, Seacology is supporting a nascent kayak tourism operation staffed by local teenagers, who receive environmental education, guide training, and sustainable employment. The additional money we raise will buy more life vests and a trailer for transporting the kayaks.
• At Oviedo Lagoon, part of Jaragua National Park, our project helped upgrade boats used for ecotourism and strengthened enforcement of environmental regulations. Additional funds will go toward buying life vests and producing waterproof wildlife-identification materials, to help the guides educate guests about the many birds and other animals in the area.

Last year, supporters of our first crowdfunding campaign provided the funds needed for our project to save parrotfish on Providencia Island in Colombia. We’ve decided to make an Earth Day fundraiser a tradition, giving our supporters a chance to contribute directly to our projects.

We look forward to updating you on the progress of these three important Dominican Republic projects, and hope you’ll consider being a part of the community of supporters behind them. You can learn more, watch our short video about the campaign, and contribute at seacology.org/ecotourism. Thanks!