Parque del Este is a large terrestrial/marine park in the Dominican Republic. Established by the Dominican government in 1975, the terrestrial portion of the park covers nearly 300 square miles; the underwater area encompasses another 220 square miles. The park is home to a variety of habitats and biological communities unique to the western tropical Atlantic. Because of its historical isolation, it is also a sanctuary for a number of rare and endangered marine species.

With the advent of resort development and tourism around the park, the Dominican government and the Nature Conservancy (TNC) recognized the need for a management plan, especially for the marine portion, that would accommodate both local fishing and tourism while protecting and conserving delicate reef habitats. To develop a plan, they needed to assess the condition of those habitats.

In 1993, Shedd Aquarium struck a partnership with TNC to assist assessing Parque del Este's aquatic habitats. Shedd brought to the project its research vessel, the R/V Coral Reef II, a cadre of staff and volunteer divers and a broad knowledge of Caribbean coral reefs. Working from the boat, Aquarium divers conducted underwater surveys of fish, coral and plant species using TNC's rapid ecological assessment methods. In addition to providing data for a management plan, the information was incorporated into a diver's guide to the park, produced in English and Spanish. The Aquarium's dive teams also collected data on water quality; cataloged juvenile fishes found in turtle grass beds, which are important nurseries for a variety of reef and open-ocean species; interviewed local fishermen about catches and species abundance; surveyed dwindling populations of queen conch, an important regional food source; and took coral cores to construct a long-term environmental history of the park.

One of the most immediate and tangible efforts was the installation of mooring buoys over an extensive coral reef. The buoys are a low-impact and cost-effective alternative for dive boat operators and others to secure their vessels without dropping anchor on the fragile reef, a practice that can instantly pulverize several hundred years of coral growth.

The project also offered members of the Aquarium and the public with scuba-diving certification an opportunity to participate in this conservation effort as paying volunteers. This unusual hands-on experience not only was educational, but it also furthered a sense of stewardship among people who use and enjoy coral reefs.

The five-year project generated baseline data on the park, indicated variations in ecological stability and gave park managers the information necessary to make informed decisions about sustainable management of the park to ensure its future health.