Desert clean-up gets new impetus

Abu Dhabi: The Desert clean-up campaign which was scheduled for last month but postponed in view of the mourning period announced after the death of the Sharjah Ruler's brother will be held tomorrow.

The campaign has been organised following a call by Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, on twitter to clean up the desert.

Organisers said that Shaikh Abdullah's call has touched the hearts of many people and has prompted many organisations to do their bit to protect the environment.

The desert is an important part of the UAE's culture and heritage and is home to hundreds of species of animals, reptiles, insects and plants. As such, it is of utmost importance to protect the desert and its ecology, the organisers said.

"The environment has several biomass or ecosystems that interact with each other, and the desert is one of those; so, any change in one will impact the other. We need to pay attention to all ecological receptors," Dr Fares Mohammad, professor of Environmental Sciences at Abu Dhabi University told Gulf News.

Recreational activities also leave unsightly residues. "Plastic bags, illegally dumped tyres, car batteries, and other forms of solid wastes cause the most damage. They are generally non-biodegradable," Dr Mohammad said.

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, and Chairman of Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi (EAD), launched a desert clean-up campaign last month.

Nine areas across the UAE are targeted for the clean-up campaign. At least 30 volunteers will be in charge of each area.

Volunteer spirit

The clean-up will be held tomorrow from 2:00 pm to 7:30 pm