Environmental security forces in Riyadh and Medina uncover violations: illegal land clearing and overgrazing

As part of ongoing efforts to protect the natural resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Special Forces for Environmental Security continued their intensive field campaigns to apprehend violators of the environmental system. Recently, they were able to detect and apprehend a number of violations in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, ranging from soil erosion and overgrazing to setting fires in unauthorized areas.

Details of seizures in Medina and Riyadh

The Special Forces for Environmental Security announced the arrest of a Yemeni resident in the Madinah region for committing a serious environmental violation: the unlicensed exploitation of sedimentary rock. The forces explained that two pieces of heavy equipment used for dredging and transporting soil were seized, a clear violation of regulations aimed at preserving the land's topography and preventing the depletion of natural resources. The necessary legal procedures were applied to the violator, and he was referred to the competent authorities.

In a related incident in the Riyadh region, a citizen was apprehended for violating environmental regulations by lighting a fire in an unauthorized area within the Tuwaiq Nature Reserve. This act contravenes the executive regulations for vegetation development and combating desertification, as authorities emphasized that lighting fires in forests or national parks outside designated areas carries a fine of up to 3,000 Saudi Riyals.

Violations of overgrazing in royal reserves

As part of efforts to protect vegetation from desertification, forces apprehended another citizen for illegal grazing within the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve. The violation involved grazing 27 camels in prohibited areas. The Special Forces for Environmental Security confirmed that regulations stipulate a fine of 500 riyals for each camel found in restricted grazing areas, in order to deter violations that lead to the degradation of the plant environment.

The context of environmental protection and the Kingdom's Vision 2030

These seizures come within the context of the significant environmental movement underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030 and the Green Saudi Arabia initiative. These stringent regulations aim to curb desertification, protect biodiversity, and preserve natural resources for future generations. The Special Forces for Environmental Security serve as the enforcement arm to ensure the implementation of environmental regulations, as soil erosion, logging, and overgrazing are among the most prominent challenges facing the sustainability of vegetation cover in the Kingdom.

Environmental violation reporting figures

The Special Forces for Environmental Security called on all citizens and residents to contribute to environmental protection by immediately reporting any incidents of environmental or wildlife abuse. They clarified that reports can be made via the following numbers:

• (911): In the regions of Mecca, Medina, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province.
• (999) and (996) : in the rest of the regions of the Kingdom.

The relevant authorities confirmed that all reports are handled with complete confidentiality and without any liability on the part of the reporter, in order to strengthen the principle of community partnership in preserving the nation’s environment.