Mining conflict in the Dominican Republic: The case of Loma Miranda

Abstract This paper assesses the willingness to pay (WTP) of the Dominican Republican society for a restoration and conservation program in Loma Miranda, an area rich in natural resources that is also proposed as a mining exploitation site. Loma Miranda is located in the Quisqueya mining concession, approximately 100 km from the country's capital, Santo Domingo, making the decision to exploit or conserve a national dilemma. A national face-to-face survey was conducted during the first quarter of 2019, reaching a representative sample of 1200 individuals. The estimation of the WTP was performed using a non-parametric and a parametric, logistic estimation by way of robustness check. The average WTP estimated by the parametric method was $DOP 159.00 (≈US$3.15) per month per household. The aggregate WTP reached a total amount of US$87.2 million per year. The WTP in favor of the conservation of Loma Miranda is higher in the metropolitan area of Santo Domingo but lower in the vicinity of Loma Miranda.