Fujairah: The little village of Bidya on the East Coast of the UAE will get a green cover soon with 2,500 mangrove set to be planted.
Home to the oldest mosque in the UAE, Bidya is part of Fujairah emirate and is popular with tourists.
The joint campaign by Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and Dibba Al Fujairah Municipality will see plantation of 2,500 mangrove seedlings in Bidya.
The drive aims to rehabilitate coastal and marine habitats, increase green cover, and safeguard local biodiversity.
Dr. Thani Bin Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: “Mangroves have always been an important part of our natural heritage. They offer a wealth of benefits that range from water filtration and sanitation to enhancing climate change resilience through carbon sequestration and serving as a home for a large number of marine species. Moreover, mangroves help protect the coastline against storm damage and erosion, in addition to promoting ecotourism due to their rich biodiversity.”
As part of the drive, MOCCAE’s technical team surveyed the coast at Bidya to ensure its suitability as a mangrove habitat in terms of soil type, tidal levels, and existing biodiversity. The ministry plans to closely monitor the site and record seedling growth rates.