NCVC Restores 4.7 Million Hectares of Floodplains, Meadows to Promote Sustainability

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The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) is implementing the Floodplains and Meadows Rehabilitation Initiative to preserve these vital ecosystems and strengthen their long-term sustainability, recognizing their considerable environmental and economic importance in Saudi Arabia.

NCVC estimates that floodplains and meadows span approximately 4.7 million hectares of natural land designated for rehabilitation through a comprehensive package of interventions. These include planting native trees and shrubs to enhance vegetation cover, dispersing rangeland seeds to stimulate natural regeneration, applying advanced rainwater-harvesting technologies, and securing and protecting sites to ensure lasting conservation.

Floodplains and meadows are among the Kingdom’s most important natural environments, as they support livestock grazing, contribute to carbon sequestration, and help reduce sand encroachment and dust storms. They also serve as critical habitats for wildlife, making their restoration and protection a central component of national efforts to safeguard natural resources.

NCVC

These areas are distinguished by deep, fertile soils formed through floodwater deposition and by dense vegetation rich in organic matter, making them some of the most suitable locations for cultivation. Their rich biodiversity further enhances their environmental significance.

Saudi Arabia is home to more than 1,000 floodplains and meadows, ranging from small basins to expansive areas covering thousands of hectares. They are mainly concentrated in the central and northeastern regions of the Kingdom, including Rawdat Khuraim, Rawdat Tinhat, Rawdat Al-Khafs, Fiyadh Al-Summan, and Al-Hajrah.

The initiative supports biodiversity conservation and ecosystem protection, regulates grazing to maintain healthy rangelands, and helps create a sustainable environment for local communities. It also promotes beekeeping and honey production as sustainable economic activities, encourages investment in medicinal and aromatic plants, and enhances floodplains and meadows as attractive ecotourism destinations.

Through this initiative and its broader programs, NCVC continues to develop, protect, monitor, and rehabilitate vegetation cover across the Kingdom, address environmental violations, combat illegal woodcutting, and manage rangelands, forests, and national parks—contributing to sustainable development and advancing the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative.

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