Saudi Arabia combats desertification by planting 12 million trees
The Saudi National Center for the Development of Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification has begun a project for the integrated management and sustainable development of rangelands.
The center started planting of more than 12 million wild trees and shrubs in 100 floodplains and gardens through the project.
More than 225 thousand hectares of pasture land to be rehabilitated in a number of regions of Saudi Arabia by 2030.
This came as part of the implementation of the National Pasture Strategy Initiative, one of the initiatives of the National Transformation Program to achieve the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Map preparation
Through its initiative to develop and rehabilitate the gardens the center aims to implement a number of works, to combat desertification. This includes raising awareness of their importance and the necessity of preserving them, and providing protection and monitoring.
The center also aims to collect data and field studies to prepare maps for planting different types of local wild trees and shrubs.
The center also promotes community participation and develops the areas targeted by providing job opportunities, in cooperation with environmental associations, private sector companies and the Beekeepers Association to target a number of floods as pastures for bees.
Carbon storage
Gardens are considered to have comparative advantages that make them of vital importance to the environment. Not only they fight desertification, but also contribute to storing carbon and mitigating the effects of climate change, sand encroachment and dust storms
It is also characterized by its biodiversity, which includes different types of animals and birds, and its high susceptibility to rehabilitation and development programs in various ways such as farming, seed dispersal, and the implementation of rainwater harvesting methods.
The center works to protect and control vegetation cover sites and rehabilitate degraded ones, in addition to detecting encroachments on vegetation cover.
It also addresses wrong behavior and harmful intent, either through awareness campaigns launched by the center, or by prosecuting violators of regulations and regulations.
The center also supervises the management and investment of pasture lands, forests and national parks; to achieve sustainable development that improves the quality of life.