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RIYADH: The National Center for Vegetation Cover Improvement and Combating Desertification is gearing up to plant 12 million trees and shrubs by 2024 across Saudi Arabia.

This is according to Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Abdul Qadir, CEO of NCVC, who said recycled water will be used for all projects.

Al-Abdul Qadr recently made the remarks at the completion of a 1 million tree planting project in Buraidah Oasis.

“The implementation of the first phase of restoration of floodplains and grasslands will witness the restoration of 1,000 floodplains and grasslands by planting 12 million trees and shrubs, dispersing seeds and using rainwater harvesting techniques,” he said.

He added that the center will work with the state reserves of the country to ensure the success of the initiative.

Prince Faisal bin Mishal, Governor of Qasim, inaugurated the Green Oasis Project in Buraidah in February 2020, covering an area of ​​28 million square meters and costing SR77 million ($20.5 million).

NCVC has signed several agreements with King Salman, King Abdulaziz, Imam Turki Bin Abdullah, Imam Abdulaziz Bin Muhammad and King Khalid Royal Reserves.

The area targeted for rehabilitation covers 225,000 hectares of wastelands and 1.9 million hectares of floodplains and grasslands in a single area.

These efforts are part of the Saudi Green Initiative’s goal of planting 10 billion trees in the country.

NCVC has also implemented several projects including planting 1 million trees at Al-Kafs Lawn in King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve and 400,000 saplings of local trees at Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Reserve.

In addition, NVC provided 1.2 million seedlings to the King Salman Reserve, and 600,000 trees and shrubs were planted in the Imam Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Conservatory.

Talal Al-Hariki, Imam Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Reserve Chief Executive Officer and Al-Abdul Qadir signed the agreement to implement the initiative.