Mangrove forests…Qatar’s green fortress to tackle carbon: Report – The Peninsula

Mangrove forests…Qatar’s green fortress to tackle carbon: Report – The Peninsula

DOHA: Over the past few years, those in charge of the environmental sector in the country have succeeded in doubling the areas of mangroves, from 9 kilometers three years ago to 14 kilometers in its cultivation areas at the country's shores along the Gulf, with a 55 percent increase rate in its area. Environmental officials are making intensive efforts to preserve and develop mangrove forests and develop their areas.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has cultivated mangroves in four areas on the northern and eastern coasts after it was limited to Al Khor and Al Thakhira areas. There are now different sites where mangroves are grown in large areas estimated at thousands of hectares, where mangroves have succeeded in each of Al Ruwais and Umm Al Houl, Fuwairit, and Ras Matbakh.

Qatar has succeeded in preserving the environment remarkably. In 2014, more than 23 percent of the country's land area was designated as nature reserves. In total, there are 12 wild environmental nature reserves, namely, Al Ariq, Al Thakhira, Khor Al Adeed, Riffa, Umm Al Amad, Umm Qarn, Al Sani', Al Reem, Al Shahaniya, Al Mashabiya, Al Wasail, and Wadi Sultana. The area of marine reserves is 720 square kilometers,