Ébano Verde Scientific Reserve

Located in Arroyazo, an area northeast of Constanza and on the way down from Jarabacoa, this scientific reserve boasts altitudes ranging from a low 245 meters (800 feet) to a high 1,565 meters (5,135 feet), home to over 600 species of flora and fauna, including over 100 bird species, giant tree frogs, lizards, and over 80 species of orchids. They thrive in one of the most humid areas of the country where several rivers are sourced. The reserve is named after an endemic tree found only in this broadleaf cloud forest area: the ébano verde (Magnolia pallenscens), producing valuable wood. Scientists often come to this protected area to conduct studies, while visitors interested in hiking excursions can do so by arrangement. The Fernando Dominguez visitor center, run by the Fundación Ébano Verde, has a museum where you can review all the different kinds of wildlife species living in the reserve, before you get started hiking its grounds.