Salalah – The Environment Authority (EA) is implementing a series of projects in Dhofar to combat desertification and protect native plant species, a senior official said.

Ali bin Salem Bait Saeed, Director General of the Environment Directorate in Dhofar, said the initiatives aim to preserve biodiversity and sustain the governorate’s ecosystems.

Among the key projects is the proposed ‘Plant Memory of Dhofar’, a specialised centre to collect, document and cultivate rare native plants. Currently being studied in cooperation with the Omran Group, the project is expected to support scientific research and eco-tourism while safeguarding plant heritage.

Bait Saeed informed that the authority has completed four projects to establish tree parks and green spaces in the governorate. These include planting 5,500 frankincense trees in the Modam area of Salalah and 260 pandanus trees in Khadrafi, Dhalkut.

The Areeb Tree Park has been established in Shaat, Rakhyut with 67 trees, while the Baobab Tree Park in Damar, Mirbat includes 169 trees.

This year, the directorate plans to begin experiments on Arabian myrrh tree tissue culture in cooperation with specialised scientific centres. The work will be carried out through the Myrrh Tree Park in Mudhi, Thumrait to support propagation of the species.

A Henna Tree Park is also planned in Damar, Mirbat to conserve the species, which holds environmental, cultural and economic significance.

As part of wider efforts to address desertification, EA is working to establish protected areas for selected wild species in their natural habitats. In Sadah, a project is nearing completion to protect 100 rare seer trees.

The initiatives include the creation of a mini-nursery to collect and document seeds and cuttings of plant species listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with the aim of supporting their propagation.

In the Shisr area of Thumrait, the Desert Shade Park project will cover 250,000sqm and include the planting of around 21,000 trees. The project is designed to increase vegetation cover and support ecosystem restoration through partnerships aimed at mobilising resources for environmental sustainability.

Officials said the projects form part of a long-term strategy to curb desertification and preserve Dhofar’s plant diversity.