KUWAIT: Some 300volunteers planted, in only two hours yesterday, up to 5,000 tree saplings inAl-Abdaliya natural reserve west of Kuwait City, in the latest effort tobeautify Kuwait and improve the climate. Dr Ameera Al-Hassan, Director ofUN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Program), said in a statement tothe press the saplings were planted in line with global sustainable developmentobjectives, with cooperation between UN-Habitat and Kuwait Oil Company (KOC).
Greening is notmerely an act of beautification; it is rather a basic need for the environmentand population of Kuwait, she said, indicating that the shrubs and trees arenecessary to alleviate impact of dust storms and heat. The planting was part ofthe "Kuwait Plants" campaign launched on Oct 31, 2019, coincidingwith the World Cities Day. The campaign also aims at encouraging and nudgingcampers to plant trees in the desert, she added.
Omar Sadeq, KOCmanager of East Kuwait operations, also in charge of the reserve, said plantingat the protected location has continued since opening the reserve in 2011. Workkicked off by greening 1.1 million square meters of land. Later, 1.7 million sqm of land was planted and in the third phase, the greening covered five millionsquare meters of land. This reserve is an ambitious environmental projectlocated in West Kuwait within the operational areas of the KOC. It aimstackling environmental damage and restoring life and biodiversity to the desert.
Al-Abdaliyareserve has been carved out to create better conditions for wildlife, plantsand animals through the creation of lakes with surrounding hills for desertplants such as al-arfaj, al-arti, al-ramth, al-qarsi and others that grow inKuwait. Kuwait, along with associations, volunteers and NGOs, has been sparingno effort to green the country, with natural reserves and public parksincluding many trees. Trees and plants, particularly palm trees, decoratepublic places and streets. A sophisticated irrigation system keeps them aliveand green during the very hot summer. - KUNA