Environmental security forces crack down on grazing and land clearing violations in Riyadh and Medina
As part of ongoing field efforts to implement environmental regulations and protect the natural resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Special Forces for Environmental Security announced the arrest of a number of violators of the environmental system in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, as part of its intensive inspection campaigns to control practices that threaten vegetation cover and wildlife.
Enforcement of grazing and fire-setting violations in Riyadh
Field patrols of the forces in the Riyadh region apprehended a citizen who violated environmental regulations by grazing 22 camels in prohibited areas within the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve . The necessary legal procedures were applied to the violator. The forces clarified that the penalty for grazing camels in prohibited areas is a fine of 500 riyals per camel, in order to deter violations that lead to the degradation of vegetation cover.
In a related incident, authorities apprehended another citizen in the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve for violating environmental regulations and lighting fires in undesignated areas. The authorities emphasized that such practices endanger vegetation and succumb to the risk of burning and damage, noting that the penalty for lighting fires in undesignated areas within forests and national parks is a fine of up to 3,000 riyals.
Soil erosion in Medina
In another incident in the Madinah region, the Special Forces for Environmental Security apprehended a Pakistani resident for illegally extracting sediment without a permit. The heavy equipment used in the excavation and removal of the soil was confiscated, and the violator was referred to the relevant authorities for legal action.
The context of environmental protection and Vision 2030
These seizures come within the context of the significant environmental movement underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, stemming from Vision 2030 and the "Green Saudi Arabia" initiative, which aims to increase vegetation cover, combat desertification, and preserve natural resources. The leadership has given special attention to establishing royal reserves to serve as safe havens for wildlife and plants, and to restore the ecological balance that has been disrupted by decades of overgrazing and unregulated logging.
The importance of adhering to environmental regulations
Adherence to environmental regulations and their implementing rules is a national duty that contributes to the sustainability of resources for future generations. Violations such as overgrazing lead to soil erosion and increased dust storms, while soil dredging destroys the fertile topsoil and alters natural valley courses, disrupting the local ecosystem.
The Special Forces for Environmental Security called on all citizens and residents to cooperate in protecting the environment and to immediately report any cases that constitute an attack on the environment or wildlife by calling the number (911) in the regions of Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and the numbers (999) and (996) in the rest of the regions of the Kingdom, stressing that all reports are dealt with in complete confidentiality.
