Dubai: The late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan had a visionary passion for environmental issues.
Gassan Al Gussain, Emirati manager of development at the Abu Dhabi Municipality worked closely with Shaikh Zayed during his lifetime and gave Gulf News an insight into his personality: "His philosophy in growing trees and farms was amazing; he had a unique point of view."
Al Gussain met Shaikh Zayed for the first time in February, 1970, on his visit to Abu Kshaihsa Island.
Al Gussain said: "When I went to the island, Shaikh Zayed gave me orders to start planting trees in the area."
Despite the high temperatures, harsh weather and sandstorms, he said, Shaikh Zayed was determined to transform the desert. Al Gussain said: "He saw it as a huge future investment."
Shaikh Zayed ordered the establishment of an agricultural counselling and marketing department at Abu Dhabi Municipality. It aimed at raising awareness among farmers, supervising their farms, marketing their produce and providing seeds and fertilisers for free.
He said: "Shaikh Zayed's primary objective in any island or desert area was to manage ways in which rain water could be conserved instead of letting it flow into the sea."
Al Gussain was fortunate to accompany Shaikh Zayed on many of his agricultural projects.
He said: "In 1973, I went with him to Dalma island, which had a population of only 122 persons and no water, greenery or electricity. Shaikh Zayed ordered for trees to be planted there."
The following year, he accompanied him on another unique visit. Al Gussain said: "I went with him to Sila'a, which was an empty land by the sea. He also directed agricultural plans to be implemented in the area.
"Shaikh Zayed used different tactics in different areas. For instance, for locations next to the sea, he ordered for the seawater to be used to water the trees. In areas further away from the sea, he ordered for wells to be dug."
In Shaikh Zayed's point of view, trees were just as important as water.
Benefit of trees
Al Gussain added: "He said that our lives revolve around trees. They give us oxygen and food and also purify the air and the weather. He often said that even if these trees do not benefit people, they would benefit birds, animals and the environment."
In 1983, Shaikh Zayed ordered the planting of forest trees such as the lotus jujube, Salm, Samar and Al Ghaf until these trees numbered five million.
The result of his foresight and vision can still be seen around the UAE. "We are harvesting the fruits of his work now, and we will see much more in the years to come," Al Gussain said.
Timeline: zayed's directives
- 1970 Established an agriculture experimental station in Al Ain.
- 1973 Visited Dalma Island to establish agricultural projects.
- 1974 Visited Sila'a to establish agricultural projects.
- 1975 Under his directives, the number of farms in Al Ain rose up to 319.
- 1977 He banned fishing in Abu Dhabi to counter over-exploitation.
- 1977 He ordered Al Ain Zoo to begin breeding programmes for the Asian Houbara Bustard with the aim to breed 10,000 annually and release them into the wild.
- 1983 He ordered the planting of forest trees such as the lotus jujube, Salm, Samar and Al Ghaf. The trees now number more than 5 million.
- 1984 125 farms were established and distributed to UAE nationals.
- 1985 He ordered public parks to be introduced along Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. A total area of 53 km was grown with palm trees.
- 1992 He received a Japanese delegation to conduct a comprehensive survey for developing water resources and utilising them in agricultural expansion.
- 1993 The Federal Environment Agency was established to oversee environmental issues on the federal level.
- 1995 Shaikh Zayed Falcon Release Programme for releasing falcons began.
- 1996 The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (formerly the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency) was set up to help achieve sustainable development.
- 1997 He ordered all farmers in Al Ain to grow 400 palm trees, each.
- 2000 The total area of planted forests amounted to around 300,000 hectares where the number of trees reached 600,000.
- 2002 The total number of palm trees in the UAE reached 41 million, with the production of 40 million tonnes of dates.
- 2002 Under his orders, several environmental conservation initiatives were launched, including the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (ADGEI), which was designed to collect relevant environmental data at home and abroad.
- 2003 UN Agreement for Desertification Combating Conference was held in Abu Dhabi.
- 2004 He issued a federal decree whereby the UAE joined the International Treaty on plant gene resources.
- 2004 The UAE also joined the Arab Water Council in Cairo, which is concerned with conservation and protection of Arab water resources against waste.
— Source: Environment Agency Abu Dhabi website : www.ead.ae
