Abu Dhabi: Any human intervention in nature, be it a developmental project, often causes the disappearance of many small but sensitive creatures and plants.
An emirate-wide habitat mapping project in Abu Dhabi is pushing for answers to the adverse human impact on fragile ecosystems. The first phase of the multi-million dollar project has already started helping Abu Dhabi to minimise the environmental degradation caused by human intervention and other factors, senior officials told Gulf News in an interview on Thursday.
The Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi’s project covering the entire emirate — 59,640 square kilometres of terrestrial environments and 28,220 square kilometres of marine environments — seeks to accurately document the habitats of all flora and fauna.
Abu Dhabi has a rich biodiversity with 793 terrestrial and marine animal species, of which 46 are threatened. Of 414 plant species in the emirate, nine are threatened, according to the Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi 2012 report.
The EAD has started using the maps in its daily operations like issuing permits to any projects that may have implications for the environment, said Ahmad Baharoon, Executive Director, Environmental Information, Science and Outreach Management at EAD.
The habitat database helps in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS) of all projects with greater accuracy, he said. The database promises 85 to 95 per cent accuracy and was used in the EIS of the Etihad Rail project in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.
The habitat mapping project uses state-of-the art satellite processing technologies providing terrestrial and marine mapping that will also act as a fundamental data layer for all future planning and decision-making.
As the emirate follows sustainable development principles, the database will further strengthen environmental conservation, Baharoon said.
The project started in January 2013 is expected to be completed by December 2014. The first phase covering over 70 per cent of the project area has been completed, he said.
Habitat mapping allows for comparisons of ecosystems that have been successfully preserved, gained or lost, said Anil Kumar, Director, Environment Information Management at EAD.
The project also allows for better urban and conservation planning, he added. Preventive measures to minimise desertification may be cited as an example.
The habitat maps help quantify desertification and exactly identify the affected areas, which help formulate preventive measures like building natural fencing and controlling overgrazing, Kumar said.
The maps can also support food security initiatives by helping identify areas with more groundwater where new farms can be developed, he said. EAD can utilise its network of around 1,100 wells to monitor available groundwater for this purpose, Kumar said.
