ESO to plant 12,000 native plants in Dhofar

Muscat: The Environment Society of Oman (ESO) is observing Earth Day on Sunday by planting about 1,000 native trees in Salalah as part of their drive to plant 12,000 native trees in the Dhofar region by the end of February 2013.

"The campaign will include planting native frankincense tree also," said Dana Sarhan, spokesperson for the EDO.

Shaikh Salim Bin Ali Al Katheri, a Shura member from Salalah, will start the campaign on Sunday by planting trees at the Applied College of Science in Salalah.

"We would then plant more native trees at the Al Luban Park in Adonab On Monday," Sarhan added. "Planting more than 12,000 native trees in Dhofar will enhance the eco-system in region," Sarhan said.

She also said that it would initiate the local trend to adopt native trees as a first option for individual public and private institutes. Moreover, the environmentalist added, the ESO had plans to deliver an awareness campaign in the second stage of this project for different age groups.

"We aim to increase the environmental awareness level amongst people and corporates in the Dhofar region," she said.

She added that ESO was trying to orient people in Dhofar region about the importance of native species as a main pillar of the local ecosystem. She also said that ESO would develop effective volunteerism programs in Dhofar.

"People will be trained to organise their efforts and work more effectively to protect the Dhofar Environment," she said.

 Dhofar is an area rich in biodiversity with more than 700 native tree species registered. Many of these wild species provide valuable medical benefits as well as economic value, such as Frankincense and other fruity species.

"Unfortunately desertification has become one of the major environmental issues that native tree species face," Sarhan pointed out, adding that overgrazing and pollution were some of the major cause for concern.

"These threats have been extending rapidly in Dhofar area," she stressed. Moreover, she said that planting non-native trees affect the local eco-system in a negative way. "Intruder species consume increased water and reduce the growing area of local species," Sarhan pointed out.

As a start the ESO will implement a Native Tree Planting Campaign "Let's Plant One" in Dhofar between April 2012 and February 2013 with an aim to plant 12,000 trees.

Meanwhile, the ESO will also conduct an awareness campaign at the Masirah Island before the Turtle nesting season April 22 to 25.

The awareness campaign targets all age groups. Turtle experts from the United States National Oceanic and atmospheric administration and the United States fish and wild life services will be accompanying ESO staff, as well as volunteers in tagging twelve loggerhead turtles with satellite tags on Masirah Island during the campaign.