ABSTRACT
The southwest region of the Dominican Republic (see Figure 10.1), including the border province of Pedernales and neighbouring Barahona, has in recent years become a symbol of the country's rich biodiversity and ecotourism potential. This is due in great part to the region's numerous protected areas, particularly the Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo zone, which has been designated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve (see Figure 10.2). The region's ecological diversity and economic marginality are being deployed to highlight the importance of ‘green’ economies for the economic future of the country, and particularly for the least developed but most ecologically valuable areas. In Pedernales, this shifting image must be integrated with its history as a frontier town, with the scarce availability of state resources, and with the significance of extractive industry for the region.
