Muscat – The Environment Authority (EA) has revealed the prevalence of 485 species of flora in the Western Hajar Mountains, constituting approximately 33% of all plant species identified in Oman. Among these, 14 are endemic species, exclusive to the region not found anywhere else in the world.

These diverse plant species inhabit various ecosystems within the Western Hajar Mountains, including open forests, shrub lands, semi-evergreens and pastoral lands.

Shedding light on the importance of these species, Sulaiman bin Nasser al Akhzami, Director General of Nature Conservation at EA, said, “These are found at altitudes exceeding 1,500m above sea level and a play vital role in creating habitats for wildlife.”

Additionally, these contribute to controlling surface water runoff, maintaining soil stability and producing raw materials for traditional medicines.

“The produce of some species, such as yam, are an economic resource for the residents of Jabal Akhdar and Jabal Shams,” Akhzami said. 

He further emphasised a cultural connection, noting that “the stick (assa) made from the wood of Al Atam trees (wild olives) is a traditional item associated with the personality of the Omani citizen carrying it”.

Jabal Akhdar, a region characterised by perennial wild trees, has well-known species such as al alan, al atam, al bout and al talh. As part of ongoing conservation efforts, 90 identification plates have been installed on perennial trees in Jabal Akhdar to facilitate counting and identification.

EA has also undertaken significant initiatives to protect threatened species, including issuing legislation such as the Natural Reserves and Wildlife Protection Law and the Environment Protection and Pollution Control Law. Further, ministerial decisions have been made to safeguard perennial and endangered wild trees and declare protected areas.

Notably, a national initiative to plant 10mn indigenous trees was launched on Omani Environment Day observed on January 8 in 2020. The authority has also established a nursery in the wilayat of Jabal Akhdar to propagate indigenous species of flora and initiated a wild tree cover survey project using satellite imagery.

Akhzami highlighted challenges, such as climatic changes and overgrazing, that negatively affect the distribution of vegetation cover in Jabal Shams. Studies indicate that 60% of animal feed in the Hajar Mountains comes from the plateau and foothills, resulting in a decrease in load on pastoral land.