JEDDAH: The National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification organized mangrove cultivation campaigns across the Kingdom on Feb. 2-3, coinciding with World Wetlands Day.
The campaigns took place in various regions, including Jazan, the Eastern Province, Madinah, Makkah, and Asir, where more than 10,000 saplings were planted, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The initiative was organized in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and other environmental organizations.
In the Makkah region, the center planted 1,000 mangrove seedlings on Jeddah’s beaches to support biodiversity and sustainable natural resource management, the SPA added.
The initiative saw strong participation from volunteers of all ages, following the center’s launch of several volunteer opportunities to engage local communities in environmental efforts.
The campaign highlighted the vital role of wetlands as unique ecosystems that provide natural climate solutions, enhance environmental sustainability, and restore ecological balance, the SPA reported.
The center is dedicated to developing, protecting, and monitoring vegetation cover sites across the Kingdom while restoring degraded areas.
It also works to detect violations, combat illegal logging, and oversee the management and investment of natural rangelands, forests, and national parks.