Three Walls - One Destiny
Monte Cristi National Park, located in the northwest of the Dominican Republic, covers approximately 550 square kilometers. Established as a national park in 1983, it is one of the 27 protected areas in the country, which also include scientific reserves and natural monuments.
Within the park, El Morro de Monte Cristi stands as both a Natural Monument and a striking geological feature—a limestone cliff rising 237 meters above sea level. It serves as a natural barrier, sheltering unique terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
The park hosts a rich biodiversity. Flora includes coastal mangroves (such as red, black, and white mangroves), dry forest species like acacias and thorny shrubs, and various endemic plants adapted to the arid conditions. The fauna features species such as the endangered Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus), the Hispaniolan hutia (Plagiodontia aedium), and numerous reptiles including the endemic ricord’s iguana (Cyclura ricordii). Birdlife is abundant with species like the West Indian whistling duck, brown pelican, and Magnificent frigatebird.
The coral reef off the coast of Monte Cristi is one of Latin America’s longest and most vital living walls. It supports an extraordinary diversity of marine life, including corals like Acropora palmata and Montastraea cavernosa, reef fish such as parrotfish, angelfish, and groupers, and critical species like sea turtles and manatees. This reef acts as a natural coastal protector, buffering against storms and erosion.
In recent years, environmental threats have intensified: illegal dumping, contamination from untreated landfill leachate affecting soil and water, and unregulated landfills dangerously close to sensitive ecosystems. These problems jeopardize biodiversity, public health, and the integrity of the environment.
We symbolically connect three walls:
- Landfills, the destructive “wall” of pollution and neglect.
- El Morro, the natural monument and geological wall that protects and defines the landscape.
- The Coral Reef, one of Latin America’s longest and most vital living walls, safeguarding marine life and coastal resilience.
These three walls—landfills, El Morro, and the coral reef—highlight our environmental mission: as guardians of Pachamama, we stand between destruction and preservation, fostering harmonious coexistence.
Our Response
At Three Walls, One Destiny – Monte Cristi, we:
- Draw a symbolic connection between landfills as harmful walls built by waste, the national park and El Morro as natural protective walls, and the coral reef as a living wall safeguarding coastal waters and marine life.
- Promote the inspiring message: “Waste does not exist” when we embrace upcycling and a circular economy. Through creative reuse, we can transform trash into treasure, defend ecosystems, and uphold the human right to a healthy environment.
How can you help?
You can join our mission in many meaningful ways:
- Educate and raise awareness about waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and the power of upcycling.
- Participate in clean-up efforts on beaches, mangroves, and local communities.
- Support upcycling initiatives by joining workshops and networks that give waste new life.
- Help safeguard natural ecosystems through reef and mangrove monitoring or restoration activities.
- Amplify our mission by sharing on social media and recruiting allies.
Your donations will empower:
- Environmental awareness campaigns.
- The production of a documentary showcasing the interplay of these three walls and the beauty of Monte Cristi’s ecosystems.
- Hands-on activities such as clean-ups and upcycling workshops that benefit local communities and the environment.
“More than owners of Pachamama, we must become her devoted guardians—protecting her walls of life for generations to come.”