President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's role as an environmentalist was the main theme of a lecture given yesterday by Dr Peter Hellyer on the last day of the three-day conference on the life and leadership of Sheikh Zayed.

Dr Hellyer, Adviser to the Minister of Information and Culture and Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS), spoke of Sheikh Zayed's strong stand on environmental issues. The lecture, entitled "Conserving Wildlife and Heritage: A lifetime of involvement", highlighted the UAE's efforts to protect its environment.'

The lecture covered the most memorable moments in Sheikh Zayed's passion for the environment and his persistence in furthering its preservation. The lecture touched on the country's environmental strategies and tactics, past, present and future, which have turned the UAE into a guiding leader within the realms of the GCC.

He noted that environmental laws are strongly represented in its federal legal system. Hellyer is the author of two books on the archaeology and history of the UAE and was the founding editor of the biannual journal "Tribulius".