Community demands officials act against illegal lumbering at dunes

Bani, Dominican Republic.- Las Calderas (south) communityleaders on Thursday demanded that the Environment Ministry proceed against thosewho paid a group to cut dozens of trees endemic to the Las Dunas NaturalMonument, created in 1996.

They said Environment and other government officials mustproceed against the group and whom they claimed paid them, a man identifiedonly as "Willy Papeleta."

The community leaders complained of the cuts on a video inthe social networks, showing the illegal lumbering near ??Las Dunas dunes, westof Las Calderas, which they halted and questioned the men, who say "Willy Papeleta"paid them 500 pesos daily to chop down trees.

Quot4d by elnacional.como.do, the community leaders said thelumbering harms endemic species in the area, among them guano blanco, barrigón,olive, sea grape, matorral seco and sabana de pajón.

The Monument, created in 1996 and incorporated into NationalSystem of Protected Areas.