Our Environment section has enlightening information on Rio del Yaque del Norte 2007 incentives given to communities for protecting the river Yaque del Norte.

The Rio del Yaque del Norte a Dominican treasure spans 150-miles and starts at 8,500 feet in the Cordillera Central and rushes through the town of Jarabacoa (“land of the eternal spring” according to indigenous Indian lore), a rustic mountain village nestled amidst an alpine landscape and surrounded by cool mountain air.  Rafting expeditions offer an exhilarating eight-mile exploration of the river while encountering Class II – IV rapids and superlative mountain scenery.

 

Pico Duarte, which lies within a
1,500-square-mile protected area, is the highest mountain in the
Caribbean with a summit rising to just over 10,000 feet.