Abu Dhabi launches first-of-its-kind mangrove restoration pilot with ALEC and EAD collaboration

Abu Dhabi: The construction company ALEC has signed an agreement with the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) to support a three-year pilot project aimed at restoring a mangrove area in the emirate.

The project will test whether restoring the natural water flow, known as hydrology, in a degraded mangrove area can help the ecosystem recover in the long term, according to the two parties.

They describe the pilot as the first of its kind in Abu Dhabi.

EAD to lead the science

EAD will be responsible for the scientific work, including choosing the site, carrying out ecological and hydrological assessments, deciding which restoration measures are needed, and monitoring and reporting the results.

The pilot will collect baseline data for the selected site and track progress against set indicators for restoration and biodiversity. The findings are expected to be used in planning future restoration projects in the emirate.

The project is linked to the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative, which ALEC joined earlier this year by signing a partners’ pledge to support the conservation and restoration of mangroves and other so-called blue carbon ecosystems.

“The findings will strengthen our understanding of how mangrove sites respond to restored hydrological conditions,” Maitha Mohamed Al Hameli, Acting Executive Director for Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity at EAD said.

Company's first biodiversity investment

ALEC says the pilot is its first investment in nature restoration with measurable biodiversity outcomes. The company is part of ALEC Holdings, which works in construction, engineering and other areas in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and is owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai.

“As our first biodiversity restoration investment, the project enables us to contribute directly to the protection and restoration of Abu Dhabi’s mangrove ecosystems,” ALEC Managing Director Sean McQue said.

According to ALEC, employees across the group will be able to take part in activities linked to the project, including citizen-science monitoring and volunteering.

The agreement was signed after the fourth annual meeting of the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative partners, held on 8 October at the Rixos Saadiyat Hotel in Abu Dhabi.