Caribbean Biodiversity Fund 42d ago

In the Dominican Republic, Fondo MARENA is working to protect two of the country's most treasured but threatened natural assets: the Bayahibe Rose, the national flower that is now critically endangered and largely unknown to the public and the West Indian manatee, whose population is slowly recovering in a protected park designed around its survival. This video showcases the fund's community education efforts, the country's first national guide to the Bayahibe Rose, and the dedicated park rangers who find deep satisfaction watching manatee numbers grow. Fondo MARENA, a CBF partner NCTF since 2016, leads grantmaking and biodiversity conservation across the Dominican Republic, with CBF support enabling it to protect ecosystems that serve as the country's supermarket, clinic, and water supply. This video is part of CBF's NCTF Stories series, produced to mark International Biodiversity Day 2026 under the theme Acting Locally for Global Impact. The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund supports a network of National Conservation Trust Funds across 12 Caribbean nations, providing sustainable conservation finance to protect the region's biodiversity for people and nature. Learn more about CBF: www.caribbeanbiodiversityfund.org