Oman’s EA launches new campaign to plant two million mangrove seeds

Muscat: The Environment Agency, represented by the Directorate General for Nature Conservation, implemented a new campaign to plant two million mangrove seeds in the governorates of North Al Batinah, Al Sharqiyah South and Al Wusta.

The campaign aimed to preserve and protect the ecosystems in coastal wetlands and raise their efficiency through the implementation of a number of projects to achieve the operational goals approved by the Commission’s plan related to the work of the national initiative to plant 10 million trees.

Badr bin Saif Al Busaidi, in charge of managing the work of the Wetlands Management Department at the Environment Agency, said that the campaign came in two phases. The first stage of seed collection came from the Qurum Natural Reserve in the Governorate of Muscat and lasted exactly 14 days. The seeds were transported to the target sites through controlled methods and kept in air-conditioned places at a temperature of 23 to 26 degrees to avoid damage.

He added that the stage was carried out by planting seeds and targeting 4 sites with a total area of ​​about 90 hectares, equivalent to 900,000 square meters, indicating that the work lasted 17 days through field teams working according to a set schedule, as the targeted sites are subject to tidal operations in a moving manner, as planting operations take place. only during reflux periods.

He pointed out that the approved field technical readings and soil tests showed the ability of mangroves to adapt and grow within the targeted sites. In Khor Al-Har in the Wilayat of Masirah in the Governorate of South Al-Sharqiyah, in addition to planting one million 100 thousand seeds in Khoury Ghawi and Qaisad in the Wilayat of Al-Jazir in the Al-Wusta Governorate.

He explained that the importance and benefits of mangroves lie in mitigating the effects of climate change through their high ability to sequester and absorb greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, and also contribute to improving the protection of the khors from storms and floods, and to enhancing fish stocks as they are natural incubators for young marine organisms.

He stated that one of the benefits of mangroves is also to raise the efficiency of the surrounding environmental systems as natural habitats and main stations for seabirds and as environments with diversified food and recreation in addition to important sites for their nesting and reproduction, and their contributions to the national economy through the implementation of some eco-tourism activities.

It is noteworthy that the Environment Agency continues its continuous efforts to preserve the ecosystem in the coastal wetland areas, in particular the protection and preservation of the environments of mangrove forests, whereby planting campaigns and environmental awareness programs are implemented among the various groups of society in the various governorates in the Sultanate of Oman.