The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) held a workshop in Al-Baha region focused on the "social and economic survey of communities near forests." The aim was to create a sustainable action plan for Al-Khala and Al-Ghouqa forests and evaluate the ecotourism opportunities within the areas. The effort is part of a broader study to assess and develop the current state of national forests. During the workshop, held in collaboration with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and local communities, the NCVC delegation met with tribal leaders, representatives, and members of environmental organizations to emphasize the vital role of the community in forest conservation. The workshop also involved explaining the mechanisms of the social and economic survey of the region, in addition to field visits to the targeted sites. The workshop aims to understand the perspectives of local communities regarding the forests surrounding the villages under study and to ex plore their potential contributions to sustainable forest management. This involves identifying agricultural and pastoral practices in these local forests, as well as understanding the views held by the local population toward them, in order to determine the best practices for integrating communities in the protection, maintenance, and rehabilitation of local forests. Source: Saudi Press Agency