EAD Expands Its Native Tree-Tagging Programme To Safeguard Abu Dhabi's Natural Heritage

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has recently unveiled plans to significantly expand its native tree-tagging programme, aiming to include every naturally occurring native tree within Abu Dhabi's wild habitats and natural reserves. This ambitious initiative, in partnership with strategic allies, seeks to enhance sustainability efforts, protect the emirate's natural heritage, and affirm Abu Dhabi's leadership in environmental conservation. The programme targets the tagging of 100,000 native trees, including species such as Ghaf, Samar, and Sidr, which are indigenous to the region's wild habitats and Protected Areas.

Under this expanded initiative, the scope of tree tagging will also extend to trees located in city parks, urban settings, and along roadways. This effort is managed by the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT). Moreover, native trees found in agricultural lands and tourist locations will be incorporated into the programme through collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT). A key component of this programme is the collection and analysis of data on the condition of these trees, ensuring alignment with the standards set by the Statistics Center - Abu Dhabi (SCAD).

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Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of EAD, highlighted that this programme aligns with the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan towards promoting sustainability and preserving the nation's environmental systems. This initiative also extends the 'Year of Sustainability' into 2024, aiming to build on prior achievements and further commit to a sustainable future for all residents.

Dr. Al Dhaheri further noted that this initiative stands as one of the most comprehensive of its kind globally. It aims to tag every native tree within the emirate's Sheikh Zayed Protected Areas Network. The collaborative nature of this programme with strategic partners is expected to enhance its success rate by adopting unified standards across all regions where these trees are found.

Within just three months since its inception in November 2023, EAD has successfully tagged over 17,000 trees. Ahmed Al Hashemi, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD, stated that this expansion demonstrates EAD's commitment to conserving Abu Dhabi's rich natural resources. However, he also pointed out that native trees face several challenges, including climate change effects such as reduced rainfall and threats from illegal activities like unauthorised firewood collection and unregulated overgrazing.

To combat these challenges, EAD has launched community awareness campaigns about violations affecting native trees and the associated fines as per EAD's Board Resolution No. (2) of 2021. Identification tags/signs in Arabic, English, and Urdu have been affixed to tree trunks to deter illegal activities and promote compliance with environmental laws.

The programme not only aims to protect native trees but also seeks to improve data quality and update relevant authorities on the status of these trees through comprehensive information gathering for use in specialized data collection and geographic linking applications. This will facilitate real-time reporting on the programme's progress. Additionally, EAD plans to collaborate with partners for the electronic coding of over 20 million native trees located in forests and along highway belts.

With inputs from WAM