Watershed Work in the Dominican Republic: Fondo Agua Yaque del Norte
Since it's founding in 2015, the Yaque del Norte River Basin (YNRB), Fondo Agua Yaque del Norte, has been working to promote the conservation and restoration of the watershed of the Yaque del Norte River, Rio Yaque del Norte, the most important river in the Dominican Republic. Their work consists of increasing and managing their financial trust that finances their organization and provides funding to watershed-focused groups in the region. The Yaque del Norte River Basin also includes an educational and promotional arm known as the Development Association, Association para el Dessarollo Inc.
Kent Reid, Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Volunteer, traveled to the Dominican Republic in May 2019 on assignment to work and review overall operating activities with the YNW Fund. This was Kent's second F2F assignment with the YNW Fund, having worked with the Development Association partner, ISA University, in October.
The two main goals of the F2F assignment were to review the strategic goals of the YNW Fund and to work with the Development Association to produce an appropriate monitoring and evaluation plan. During the two-week assignment, the first week included visits to currently funded projects and assessments of problem areas and the second week focused on office procedure and monitoring activities. Kent provided guidance on developing the strategic plan for the YNW Fund along with their teams at the Development Association and their Cultivating Good Water, Cultivando Agua Bueno, program team. During the assignment, the Santiago region experienced an unexpected drought which provided an opportunity for conversations on drought management for the YNW Fund and members of the Dominican Republic Presidential Commission, Comission Presidencial, that manages the Yaque River.
"The work of the Development Association and the Yaque del Norte Water Fund is being carried out as it should be by a group of dedicated, talented, motivated individuals. Their work is a good mix of social concerns and outreach, direct support, and technical advice and intervention."
Kent Reid noted the organization activities range from implementing headwaters protection to developing tree plantations to treating soil-erosion-causing water runoff with sustainable engineering techniques like humedales artifiales, artificial wetlands.
As Director of the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute and involved in the New Mexico-based Rio Grande Water Fund, Kent is engaged in similar work in New Mexico. Noting similarities between New Mexico and the Santiago Dominican Republic region, Kent notes several differing technical approaches. Primarily the uniqueness of their funding sources and their respective technical practices, but similarities in their local processes of proposal submission by small groups and proposal review by a local technical committee with the best proposals receiving funding.
Kent Reid, Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Volunteer, traveled to the Dominican Republic in May 2019 on assignment to work and review overall operating activities with the YNW Fund. This was Kent's second F2F assignment with the YNW Fund, having worked with the Development Association partner, ISA University, in October.
The two main goals of the F2F assignment were to review the strategic goals of the YNW Fund and to work with the Development Association to produce an appropriate monitoring and evaluation plan. During the two-week assignment, the first week included visits to currently funded projects and assessments of problem areas and the second week focused on office procedure and monitoring activities. Kent provided guidance on developing the strategic plan for the YNW Fund along with their teams at the Development Association and their Cultivating Good Water, Cultivando Agua Bueno, program team. During the assignment, the Santiago region experienced an unexpected drought which provided an opportunity for conversations on drought management for the YNW Fund and members of the Dominican Republic Presidential Commission, Comission Presidencial, that manages the Yaque River.
"The work of the Development Association and the Yaque del Norte Water Fund is being carried out as it should be by a group of dedicated, talented, motivated individuals. Their work is a good mix of social concerns and outreach, direct support, and technical advice and intervention."
Kent Reid noted the organization activities range from implementing headwaters protection to developing tree plantations to treating soil-erosion-causing water runoff with sustainable engineering techniques like humedales artifiales, artificial wetlands.
As Director of the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute and involved in the New Mexico-based Rio Grande Water Fund, Kent is engaged in similar work in New Mexico. Noting similarities between New Mexico and the Santiago Dominican Republic region, Kent notes several differing technical approaches. Primarily the uniqueness of their funding sources and their respective technical practices, but similarities in their local processes of proposal submission by small groups and proposal review by a local technical committee with the best proposals receiving funding.
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