By Faten Omar
KUWAIT: Winter has arrived in Kuwait, and Jahra Nature Reserve has opened its doors to receive visitors for the new season. The reserve is considered to be the first ecotourism project in Kuwait, with the aim of increasing environmental awareness and appreciating nature. Speaking to Kuwait Times, Abdullah Ashkanani, spokesperson of the Public Relations and Media Department at the Environment Public Authority, said the Jahra Nature Reserve reopened on Nov 4 and will welcome visitors until the end of February from 9 am to 4:30 pm daily.
Ashkanani pointed out that this year, there is a new observation deck for visitors, taking the total to three, explaining that visiting the reserve and reserving the observatory can be done by booking appointments on the authority's electronic platform at specific times for every five members of the same family or multiples, with visiting limited to an hour and a half.
"The reserve also has a walking tour, which is a quick tour that takes a half an hour. There is no need for reservations. The visit will be guided and limited to selected areas and there are electric cars to transport visitors and ensure their safety so they do not get lost inside," Ashkanani said. He revealed hundreds of citizens and residents visited the reserve last weekend, while online reservations were fully booked.
"The reserve organizes visits for school students through the ministry of education to raise awareness of Kuwait's natural environment and the recycling process, where the reserve contributes to reviving ecotourism in Kuwait and spreading environmental awareness in the community," he said.
Ashkanani affirmed that there is a continuous development to preserve ecological life, including wildlife and plants. Also, there will be activities for visitors in winter, he said, pointing out the reserve is also open to owners of small and medium enterprises after the approval of the public relations department to display and market their products in order to support them and contribute to spreading environmental awareness.
Ashkanani noted that the reserve has a total area of 18 sq km and contains more than 300 species of migratory and endemic birds, and some wild animals. It also includes five diverse environments. The authority has worked to protect the reserve since 1987 to preserve its nature, as it is a major crossing for birds.
It also has worked continuously on cultivating plants in the reserve to increase the green area and diversify its wildlife. The authority stressed the need to respect the environmental protection law, warning legal measures will be taken against violators.