URP Continues Engagement in Dominican Republic
This summer marked another year of research engagement and student travel in the Dominican Republic. URP graduate student Emory Young spent 6 weeks in Punta Cana investigating sustainable waste management practices. The experiential learning opportunity was facilitated by URP faculty Kyle Dost and Grupo Puntacana’s Ecological Foundation.
URP faculty Kyle Dost and graduate student Emory Young at the Grupo Puntacana Foundation’s Sustainability Center.
July 24th, 2024
LAY OF THE LAND
Puntacana Resort and Club, situated on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic, was established in 1969 by Dominican hotelier Frank Ranieri and New York investor Theodore Kheel. It was the first major resort in the Punta Cana region (named after the resort), an area which now refers to over 60 miles of coastline and over 100 all-inclusive resorts, hotels, and villas.
With humble beginnings as a small-scale, modest hotel and service airport, the Puntacana Resort and Club property now boasts the second-busiest airport in the Caribbean (PUJ), multiple hotels including a ClubMed and The Westin, over half a dozen restaurants, three award-winning golf courses, an ecological preserve, and approximately 2,500 homes and condos – all managed by Grupo Puntacana (GPC).
A core tenant of the GPC company is environmental and social responsibility, which is best exemplified by their non-profit: the Grupo Puntacana Foundation. Founded in 1988, the foundation has served as GPC’s dedicated arm for sustainability initiatives and community outreach. Since 2005, under the direction of Jake Kheel, the Foundation has taken on numerous environmental and social sustainability projects, including: composting and vermicasting; coral reef restoration; nature preserve management; Ridgway’s Hawk conservation; local community development via the opening of a technical school; and providing health care access through local clinics.
At their campus located within the resort, The Grupo Puntacana Foundation collaborates with various organizations, including universities, and hosts students, interns, medical professionals, volunteers, and environmental scientists working on a wide range of projects.
Grupo Puntacana Foundation’s Sustainability Center in Puntacana Resort and Club
“PRESERVING PARADISE” – INVESTIGATING SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT
URP graduate student Emory Young spent 5 weeks at the Grupo Puntacana Fundación in Puntacana Resort and Club, during which he conducted research on sustainable waste management within the Resort. His research was conducted in three parts:
- 1. Semi-structured interviews with key personnel of Grupo Puntacana. Among those interviewed were a hotel general manager, a solid waste coordinator, a head chef, an architect, and the VP of the GPC Fundación. The purpose of these interviews was to build a comprehensive overview of the waste management system within the resort, taking note of who ‘owns’ the waste throughout the entire waste management process.
- 2. Surveys with hotel guests at the Westin Puntacana Resort and Club. A survey was employed to gather information about guest demographics, their stay at Punta Cana, and their attitudes towards sustainability and waste management. Observational data was also collected, both at The Westin and throughout the resort property.
- 3. Analyzing existing waste management data. Data provided by GPC and the Westin was analyzed to better understand current waste management practices, characterize the types of guests at the resort, and categorize the types of waste being generated.
Emory conducting surveys of Westin guests regarding their attitudes of sustainable waste management
Combined, these research elements create a more comprehensive understanding of existing waste management practices within the resort context. Through additional analysis, they will hopefully identify opportunities and weaknesses in implementing more sustainable waste management solutions in the resort.
“My time in Punta Cana certainly shaped my understanding of planning, sustainability, tourism, and the Dominican Republic. I have networked and made connections with many people on the ground, from service workers to resort managers. Furthermore, I explored international planning contexts, researched sustainability initiatives, and spoke with many different actors and stakeholders to better understand a relatively complex issue. I hope to return one day, whether it be to renew connections, conduct future research, or simply revisit a beautiful country.”
Emory will present his findings at the 2024 Florida Planning Conference in Tampa before finalizing and sharing his findings through his master’s thesis in spring 2025.
UF URP + PUNTACANA ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
This summer’s student research program further develops the long-standing relationship and collaboration between the University of Florida’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Grupo Puntacana’s Foundation.
Kyle Dost has continued to honor the relationship and vision forged by Dr. Jocelyn Widmer and Jake Kheel by bringing new students to Punta Cana. These students have visited the resort for research projects ranging from ornithological conservation to sustainable waste management, helping pursue URP’s and GPC’s mutual goal of social and environmental sustainability through education and research.
Alyssa Henriquez (left) and Kyle Dost (top right) engage in field interviews with residents in Veron, outside of Puntacana Resort and Club
STUDENT PROFILE
Emory Young, a graduate planning student in URP, focuses on sustainability, design, and international planning. For his thesis, his research centers on sustainable waste management in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. With experience from internships in construction management and a year-long international study program in Utrecht, Netherlands, he brings valuable perspectives to his studies. He currently serves as the social media chair for the Student Planning Association. Outside academia, you might spot him bouldering at the local climbing gym.
