Green Riyadh Program Celebrates Completion Of Ghudhwana Rehabilitation For Enhanced Community Spaces

The Green Riyadh Program has successfully completed the environmental restoration of Ghudhwana, a tributary of Wadi Hanifa, after 34 months of work. This project has transformed the area by planting over 15,000 trees and shrubs, creating a beautiful natural space. The park now stretches over 5.2 kilometers, providing a serene green area through the neighborhoods of Dhahrat Al Badi'ah, Al-Suwaidi, and Al-Zahra in southwest Riyadh.

Efforts to rehabilitate Ghudhwana were aligned with sustainable practices. These included addressing environmental issues around the Wadi and its surroundings. Extensive cleaning operations were conducted to remove waste and refine flood control channels, restoring them to their natural state and reducing flood risks. Permanent water flow channels were also established to prevent swamp formation within the Wadi.

The initiative aims to enrich local communities by offering expansive recreational spaces. Locally sourced trees and shrubs were selected for their suitability to the Wadi environment, ensuring sustainability. The project also focuses on using recycled irrigation water efficiently, tailored to meet the needs of the planted trees in Wadi Hanifa.

Social areas have been developed across more than 65,000 square meters of the Wadi. These include benches, seating zones, 13 children's play areas, sports facilities, and over 700 parking spaces. Shaded pathways spanning 22 kilometers encourage walking, promoting health among all age groups with an average target of over 6,000 steps per day.

Water channels have been designed for continuous flow and natural drainage within the valley. Nine bridges have been constructed over these water bodies to facilitate movement between neighborhoods. This initiative positively impacts residents while using local materials in construction processes to enhance sustainability.

The Green Riyadh Program is committed to rehabilitating valleys covering an area of 148 square kilometers while adhering to high urban design standards. This effort aims to increase green spaces for social needs as the population grows. Projects focus on afforestation in residential neighborhoods, creating parks, greening main roads and public squares, and allocating green areas in government buildings.

Alignment with Saudi Vision 2030

The program is part of Riyadh's megaprojects launched by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud under Prince Mohammed bin Salman's initiative on March 19, 2019. It plays a significant role in achieving the Saudi Green Initiative's objectives and aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 goals to plant 10 billion trees nationwide.

Specifically, Green Riyadh aims to plant 7.5 million trees in the city. It seeks to increase vegetation cover to 9% of Riyadh's area and raise per capita green space from 1.7 square meters to 28 square meters. Additionally, it contributes to lowering temperatures and improving air quality by reducing pollution and dust.

With inputs from SPA