NEA Initiative: Tell us about your role in the national ecosystem assessment process in the Dominican Republic. What are your areas of responsibility?

Ms. Capella: My main role is to coordinate Traditional and Local Knowledge activities that contribute to ensuring that the assessment is an inclusive participatory process, enriched by diverse knowledge systems.  

NEA Initiative: How has your journey been as part of the national ecosystem assessment process in your country? Please share your significant contributions and achievements.

Ms. Capella: Even before the national ecosystem assessment, I have a long history with the local team. Since 2019 we have been working on the valuation of an endemic species (pimento ozua) of tree and the rational use of this species by the communities and the diversification of the products and byproducts. Later, when the national ecosystem assessment process was approved, the process coordinators understood that my knowledge and experience in coastal marine ecosystems, especially mangroves, could be useful for the ecosystem evaluation process.

NEA Initiative: What inspires you to work in nature conservation and biodiversity, particularly being part of the national ecosystem assessment team?

Ms. Capella: As a child, I was always linked to nature. My father, who was an agronomist, had the whole family accompany him on his field visits. With my father, I talked about nature, not only the technical part but also the spiritual aspects. He taught me the importance of balance in ecosystems and above all the importance of doing healthy agriculture. I can say that my father was a great inspiration for my university studies. I always wanted to be an agronomist but at the time of entering university, the agronomy career was dominated by men and my mother did not really agree, so I decided to study a degree in biology focused on environmental conservation. After seven semesters and due to situations out of my control, I could not finish and the opportunity was opened for me to pursue the agronomy degree, which in the end I finished.

Despite not having completed my degree in biology, all the knowledge acquired during that time has guided my professional career because instead of working in agriculture as an agronomist, I have been working in the environmental field for 11 years in the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic. My work is linked to the management of protected areas.

Moreover, working in the national ecosystem assessment process has allowed me to use my knowledge and experiences to recover and rescue local and traditional knowledge of the communities we work with.

NEA Initiative: Tell us about your mission to help people and nature.

Ms. Capella: I identify with the role of environmental educator the most. From this position, my mission is to bring the message of nature conservation to every place I go, help more people learn about their environment so that they can appreciate it, conserve it, and develop an understanding that we are one nature.

As part of the national ecosystem assessment team, we have a fundamental mission to influence decision-makers through our work so that they can design, promote and execute well-founded policies for nature conservation and sustainable development, without leaving aside the well-being of people in communities and society in general.

NEA Initiative: What is your message for women and young girls around the world to be a driving force for the conservation of nature and the well-being of people?

Ms. Capella: Don't stop chasing your dreams! No matter the work we do, we will always find people who demotivate us and deviate us from our goals. Do not listen to those voices and believe in yourself, no matter the obstacles we encounter along the way, no matter if we must keep moving forward alone. Along the way, we will find someone who shares our dreams and our goals and at the end of the day, all the experiences we have lived, positive or negative, will make us strong women who can help and support other women.