Penalties for illegal logging in Saudi Arabia: 10,000 riyals per tree

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has renewed its strong warnings against illegal logging , announcing hefty fines of up to 10,000 riyals, coinciding with the launch of the second edition of the national campaign "Our Winter is Healthy." This decisive step aims to eliminate harmful practices that threaten biodiversity and to promote responsible recreation during the winter season to ensure the sustainability of natural resources and protect them from rapid degradation.

Details of the new fines and penalties

The Ministry revealed a detailed and deterrent list of penalties to apprehend violators. The fine for cutting down, uprooting, or trading a single tree in vegetation cover without a permit is set at 10,000 riyals, with the violator also obligated to repair the resulting environmental damage. The penalties extend beyond cutting down trees to include supply chains; a fine of up to 5,000 riyals per cubic meter is imposed for transporting, selling, or storing locally sourced firewood and charcoal. Regulatory authorities confirmed that these penalties will be doubled for repeat offenses to ensure complete deterrence and eliminate the black market.

National context: Logging and its relation to Vision 2030

These measures are not isolated decisions, but rather an integral part of the comprehensive national environmental strategy stemming from the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Specifically, these efforts contribute to the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to plant 10 billion trees across the Kingdom in the coming decades. Preserving ancient and native trees (such as acacia, tamarisk, and jujube) is the first line of defense for the success of this initiative, as the loss of even a single mature tree requires many years to replace under the harsh desert climate.

Environmental and climatic impacts: Why the warning?

The ministry directly linked deforestation to the worsening environmental crises, asserting that illegal logging is a major driver of vegetation degradation. Scientifically, the removal of vegetation leads to:

• Increased sand encroachment: Tree roots act as natural soil stabilizers, and without them, dust storms increase.
• Desertification and drought: The soil loses its ability to retain water, which accelerates the pace of desertification in the region.
• Climate change: Logging contributes to rising temperatures and increasing the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, hindering national and international efforts to combat global warming.

Sustainable alternatives and social responsibility

As part of alternative solutions, the Ministry urged hikers and outdoor enthusiasts to rely entirely on imported charcoal and firewood, licensed by the Ministry, as a safe and sustainable alternative, and to completely avoid using local firewood to contribute to the recovery of the desert environment. This call aims to reinforce shared responsibility between government agencies and members of the community, as environmental awareness among citizens and residents is the cornerstone of protecting natural resources for future generations.