After the significant improvement in the vegetation cover in the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, which covers an area of 91,500 square kilometers, many perennial trees and annual plants began to reappear and spread intensively, thanks to comprehensive protection efforts made by the reserve officials to combat overgrazing and tree felling.
The recent rainy season also had an impact on the nature and diversity of the vegetation cover.
Among these perennial, and famous, trees that began to flourish and spread in the reserve is Al Ghada (scientific name, Haloxylon persicum) or the white saxual, which has been one of the most famous plants since ancient times in the deserts of the Kingdom, the Arabian Gulf, the Levant, Iraq and others.
The tree reaches more than 3 meters in height, and can live up to 70 years in dry deserts due to the fact that its roots extend to tens of meters to reach water. It plays a role in stabilizing sand dunes and preventing soil erosion. It is used in many countries to rehabili
tate pastures, restore forests on desert roadsides, and manufacture furniture, paper and dyes.
The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve has carried out successive afforestation campaigns, as well as programs and initiatives aimed at improving the vegetation cover and combating desertification, and cultivated local trees and various wild plants, including the white saxual, which contributes to improving the quality of life and combating climate change, and to achieving the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
