The National Afforestation Program signs 8 agreements to plant 8 million trees
In a significant step reflecting the accelerated environmental efforts in Saudi Arabia, the National Afforestation Program the signing of eight strategic memoranda of understanding with leading associations, organizations, and companies in the real estate sector. These ambitious agreements aim to plant more than eight million trees, and were announced on the sidelines of the program's active participation in the Restatex Riyadh exhibition.
The program was represented at the signing ceremony by the Executive Vice President, Engineer Ahmed Al-Anzi, who stressed that these partnerships embody the integration between the governmental, private and non-profit sectors to achieve ambitious national goals.
Supporting the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative
This step comes within the framework of ongoing efforts to achieve the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative , launched by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince – may God protect him – to chart the Kingdom's course towards leading the green era in the region. These memoranda are an integral part of the national strategy to plant 10 billion trees over the coming decades, with the national afforestation program focusing on expanding green spaces not only in nature reserves but also within urban areas and modern real estate projects.
These agreements are of particular importance as they integrate the environmental dimension into urban planning, which contributes to improving the quality of life for residents, reducing temperatures in cities, and reducing carbon emissions, which is directly in line with the pillars of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Sustainability of water resources and plant species
The signed memoranda focused on precise technical aspects to ensure the sustainability of afforestation operations, agreeing to promote the use of greywater and treated wastewater for irrigating trees, instead of depleting freshwater resources. This practice is a cornerstone of the concept of sustainable afforestation in arid regions.
The program also emphasized the need to select native plant species suitable for the Kingdom's climate and drought-resistant, ensuring tree growth and sustainability with minimal maintenance costs. The program will provide technical and advisory support to real estate projects, including site studies and species identification, to guarantee the long-term success of planting operations.
Promoting community awareness and environmental partnership
These agreements aim not only to increase the number of trees planted, but also to raise environmental awareness among the community and real estate developers. These partnerships seek to establish a culture of preserving vegetation and to encourage sound environmental practices within residential neighborhoods and public facilities.
These initiatives are expected to contribute to combating desertification, protecting the Kingdom’s diverse ecosystems, and creating a healthy and attractive urban environment, thus enhancing the Kingdom’s position as a global model in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development.
