Ebano Verde Scientific Reserve
The Ebano Verde Scientific Reserve in the Dominican Republic was created on October 26, 1989 by Decree No. 417-89, Environment and Resources General Law 64-00, ratified by the Protected Areas Sectorial Law No. 202-04, ordered by then President Joaquin Balaguer. Ebano Verde is the first in the nation to be administrated by the private Foundation for Human Betterment (Fundacion para el Mejoramiento Human) Progressio, that was established to guarantee the maintenance of the Cibao's hydric standards, assists with the preservation of the 29 km2 area designated to the reserve, an area which has expanded since the original 23 km2. The reserve is located on the eastern region of the Cordillera Central in the Province of La Vega and Monseñor Nouel, within the municipalities of Jarabacoa, Bonao, and Constanza, Dominican Republic. The Ebano Verde (Magnolia pallescens) tree is a forest species that is endemic to the Dominican Republic and thrives exclusively in the Bosque Nublado (Clouded Forest), classified as a Very humid Lower Montane Forest (Bmh-MB). History President of the Collado Foundation, Dr. Mario Collado, solicited the approval of the exploitation of Ebano Verde (Green Ebony) dead wood, due to the devastation that occurred on his property from Hurricane David and Tropical Storm Federico on the hills of La Golondrina and La Sal in the Cordillera Central. In order to extract the wood from the area, a system of thousands of cables had to be developed and installed that would not alter the ecological structure of the zone, and haul the dead lumber to the main roads. The King World Wide Company of Miami Florida had received news via Fax, of the existence of over 25,000,000 (25 Million) feet of lumber to be extracted. On July 3, 1992, by order 15791 to the General Director of Forestry, Balaguer gave the authorization to Dr. Collado Laboratories to perform a removal and exploitation of the dead lumber of the Ebano (ebony) species, with 40% of the proceeds to Dr. Collado Laboratories and 60% to the Dominican State. A few days later of July 7, 1992, Balaguer formed a commission for the supervision, control, and exploitation of the dead lumber. The Dominican Forestry Directorate was under much pressure, due to the amount of interests that would be generated from this project. There was only one signature left for the approval, that of the Director of Forestry, after all of the members of the commission had given their approval, when President Balaguer received news that the Secretary of Public Works had a tractor in the area, for the reparation of the neighboring road that leads to Palma de Constanza and unto Loma de la Golondrina, which hindered the extraction of wood. Balaguer's response was: "That has no validity, rejected, and set the tractor on fire". Immediately, Secretary Eduardo Estrella of Public Works had been notified to remove the equipment that was at work in the Scientific Reserve, by orders of President Balaguer, ending the discussion and moving forward with the extraction. Geography Hills Located northwest