Tribune News Network
Doha
The Qur’anic Botanic Garden (QBG), the first garden in the world to exhibit all plant species mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, Hadith and Sunnah, celebrated Qatar Environment Day, held annually on February 26, with a wild plant restoration event at Rawdat Al Faras in Al Nasraniya.
The activity was held in partnership with the Environmental Protection Reserves & Wildlife Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), which allocated Rawdat Al Faras to be rehabilitated by QBG with the close cooperation of the Qatari National Committee for Education, Culture and Science that in turn coordinated the participation of Youth Affairs Department at the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and the Department of Conservation and Energy Efficiency "Tarsheed” at Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) at the event. From its end, QBG brought together members of the Qatar Boy Scouts and Guides Association and the Friends of the Environment Center.
The restoration event saw the participation of entity representatives and volunteers from across Qatar, who helped restore 300 desert trees in Rawdat Al Faras, one of the most important restoration areas related to Qatar Environment Day. In addition to planting wild plants and spotting animals inhabiting Rawdat Al Faras, participants undertook a rigorous litter cleaning campaign of the area. Environmental researchers present at the event provided detailed explanations of the types of wild plants, insects and reptiles inhabiting the area, and their important role in preserving the ecosystem.
The event was held in line with the United Nations’ SDGs, the environmental pillar of Qatar National Vision 2030 and QBG’s goal of restoring wild plants in their natural habitats, combating desertification and cooperating with the local community to support its commitment to preserving the nation’s environment, plants and fungal natural resources.
Fatima Al Khulaifi, director of QBG, said: "Qatar Environment Day is a special occasion for us, in which we are keen to cooperate with our partners from various state institutions and contribute to Qatar’s efforts to protect the environment and its natural balance. Additionally, we are working with diverse parties to rehabilitate endemic plants and plant wild trees in their desert habitats to reduce carbon emissions and limit desertification in Qatar. QBG is aware of the environmental challenges related to wild plants in Qatar, and we are doing our best to protect and preserve them.”
Talib Khalid Al Shahwani, director of the Department of Protection and Wildlife at the MME, said: "Protecting and preserving the local plants and the rehabilitation of endangered wild plants in the country are top priorities for the ministry. To this end, our department cooperates with various stakeholders in the country to ensure the implementation of these preservation plans.”
Dr Hamda Hassan Al Sulaiti, secretary-general, Qatar National Committee for Education, Culture and Science, said: "Community initiatives such as this contribute to achieving the 17 sustainable development goals, preserving the identity of Qatari plants, as well as introducing local youth to their environment and the importance of safeguarding it and its natural resources.”
Maha Issa Al Rumaihi, director, Youth Affairs Department, Ministry of Culture and Sports, said: "The ministry’s participation in this event is part of our solid belief in enhancing the impact of the environment on the lives of young people, raising their awareness of sustainable development to adopt the values and culture of preserving the environment, and the necessity of preserving the plants of Qatar.”
Fatma Al Misnad, president, Awareness and Social Development, Kahramaa, commented: "Marking Qatari Environment Day reflects the solidarity of Qatar’s various organisations to the realisation of Qatar National Vision 2030. It also stresses the fact that environmental sustainability is an individual, collective and societal responsibility at all levels.”
Additionally, in a bid to support the Environmental Development pillar of QNV 2030 and empower community members to be active contributors to these efforts, QBG recently launched its free-of-charge ‘Home Garden Phone Helpline’. The initiative enables the public to pose any home gardening questions directly to QBG experts by calling +974 3091 8519 every Monday from 9:00am to 12:30pm, and every Wednesday from 12:30pm to 2:30pm.
Doha
The Qur’anic Botanic Garden (QBG), the first garden in the world to exhibit all plant species mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, Hadith and Sunnah, celebrated Qatar Environment Day, held annually on February 26, with a wild plant restoration event at Rawdat Al Faras in Al Nasraniya.
The activity was held in partnership with the Environmental Protection Reserves & Wildlife Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), which allocated Rawdat Al Faras to be rehabilitated by QBG with the close cooperation of the Qatari National Committee for Education, Culture and Science that in turn coordinated the participation of Youth Affairs Department at the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and the Department of Conservation and Energy Efficiency "Tarsheed” at Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) at the event. From its end, QBG brought together members of the Qatar Boy Scouts and Guides Association and the Friends of the Environment Center.
The restoration event saw the participation of entity representatives and volunteers from across Qatar, who helped restore 300 desert trees in Rawdat Al Faras, one of the most important restoration areas related to Qatar Environment Day. In addition to planting wild plants and spotting animals inhabiting Rawdat Al Faras, participants undertook a rigorous litter cleaning campaign of the area. Environmental researchers present at the event provided detailed explanations of the types of wild plants, insects and reptiles inhabiting the area, and their important role in preserving the ecosystem.
The event was held in line with the United Nations’ SDGs, the environmental pillar of Qatar National Vision 2030 and QBG’s goal of restoring wild plants in their natural habitats, combating desertification and cooperating with the local community to support its commitment to preserving the nation’s environment, plants and fungal natural resources.
Fatima Al Khulaifi, director of QBG, said: "Qatar Environment Day is a special occasion for us, in which we are keen to cooperate with our partners from various state institutions and contribute to Qatar’s efforts to protect the environment and its natural balance. Additionally, we are working with diverse parties to rehabilitate endemic plants and plant wild trees in their desert habitats to reduce carbon emissions and limit desertification in Qatar. QBG is aware of the environmental challenges related to wild plants in Qatar, and we are doing our best to protect and preserve them.”
Talib Khalid Al Shahwani, director of the Department of Protection and Wildlife at the MME, said: "Protecting and preserving the local plants and the rehabilitation of endangered wild plants in the country are top priorities for the ministry. To this end, our department cooperates with various stakeholders in the country to ensure the implementation of these preservation plans.”
Dr Hamda Hassan Al Sulaiti, secretary-general, Qatar National Committee for Education, Culture and Science, said: "Community initiatives such as this contribute to achieving the 17 sustainable development goals, preserving the identity of Qatari plants, as well as introducing local youth to their environment and the importance of safeguarding it and its natural resources.”
Maha Issa Al Rumaihi, director, Youth Affairs Department, Ministry of Culture and Sports, said: "The ministry’s participation in this event is part of our solid belief in enhancing the impact of the environment on the lives of young people, raising their awareness of sustainable development to adopt the values and culture of preserving the environment, and the necessity of preserving the plants of Qatar.”
Fatma Al Misnad, president, Awareness and Social Development, Kahramaa, commented: "Marking Qatari Environment Day reflects the solidarity of Qatar’s various organisations to the realisation of Qatar National Vision 2030. It also stresses the fact that environmental sustainability is an individual, collective and societal responsibility at all levels.”
Additionally, in a bid to support the Environmental Development pillar of QNV 2030 and empower community members to be active contributors to these efforts, QBG recently launched its free-of-charge ‘Home Garden Phone Helpline’. The initiative enables the public to pose any home gardening questions directly to QBG experts by calling +974 3091 8519 every Monday from 9:00am to 12:30pm, and every Wednesday from 12:30pm to 2:30pm.