Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

Approximately 87 species of reptile and amphibian recorded in the Arabian Peninsula are not found elsewhere. There are over 250 species of bird, 26 per cent of which have ancient polar origins, 25 per cent tropical African origins, and only 3 per cent Eastern origins [ ] 197 Awareness-raising campaigns in schools and wild honey production Saudi Arabia’s youth population is considered to be high, with those under the age of 15 representing over 29 per cent of the population of 27 million. Education is prioritized as an awareness-raising tool for national heritage, including the environment and its natural resources. In an effort to achieve the Convention on Biolog- ical Diversity’s target on awareness- raising, Saudi Arabia has put in place a number of strategies, one of which is a 10-year strategy led by the minis- try of education, in collaboration with other stakeholders such as the Saudi Wildlife Authority. This strategy includes awareness-raising campaigns in schools, the most prominent of which was “We Protect it to Grow”, a campaign started in 2006 in which over 8,000 children from around the country participated. Wild honey production The production of wild honey is one of the most successful practices using natural resources in Saudi Arabia be- cause it is a measurable, sustainable activity that yields tangible and direct benefits to local communities and also has a positive influence on con- servation of terrestrial ecosystems. Historically a number of ancient protected areas were established for honey production as it is dependent on the flowering of native plants and trees, and, within them, grazing was prohibited during the flowering season or excluded all together. A number of these areas continue to be well maintained because of the high economic value of wild honey. Pro- duction thus competes successfully with other natural resource uses such as pastoralism, and has effectively discouraged overgrazing of range- lands in areas where it is practiced. The production of wild honey serves as an environmental indicator of healthy plant communities. The most important environmental impact often associated with honey production is the felling of dragon trees, the trunks of which are hol- lowed out for making hives. Another negative impact is the importing of bee colonies from other continents, a practice that may destroy most of the local bee populations and cause a drop in the quality of the local product. A few simple regulations to prevent negative impacts are required to make wild honey production a model resource use that should be encouraged in all protected areas that are suitable for such activity. The Saudi Wildlife Authority also releases the awareness-raising Al Wa- dihi magazine, to highlight the coun- try’s environmental issues, which has proven to be an important tool for garnering public support on biodiver- sity- related targets and policies. Dareen beach, Al Jubali Saudi Arabia W ith a land area of approximately 2,150,000 km 2 , Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East. It is bordered by Jordan and Iraq to the north, Kuwait to the northeast, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to the east, Oman to the south-east and Yemen to the south. It is the only nation with both a Red Sea coast and a Persian Gulf coast, and most of its terrain consists of arid desert, lowland and mountains. Saudi Arabia’s biodiversity reflects its geographical position between Africa, Asia and Europe. There are 2,250 species of flowering plants of which some 246 species are considered regionally endemic. There are 93 mammal species, 432 bird, 9 freshwater fish, 103 reptile and seven amphibian species found in the country. Shoaib SR on Unsplash