The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has carried out a field campaign on to remove 500 harmful Guwayif (Prosopis juliflora) shrubs in Rawdat Umm Amaidan located west of the city of Al Ruwais.
The campaign was conducted in the presence of several ministry officials, specialists, technicians, and workers, as part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to combat invasive and alien plant species that pose a direct threat to local vegetation cover and negatively affect the sustainability and ecological balance of natural environments.
The removal work was implemented using an organized mechanical cutting method, in accordance with carefully planned technical procedures that take into account minimizing any potential environmental side effects. The campaign also included comprehensive site cleanup operations, where cut tree remnants and their seeds were removed from the soil to limit the chances of regrowth and prevent their future spread.
Meanwhile, Adel Mohamed Al Yafei, Head of the Plant Wildlife Section, affirmed that this campaign is part of the periodic field programmes implemented by the ministry to combat harmful plants. He stressed that the work teams’ commitment to applying best approved environmental practices and taking into consideration technical and scientific aspects during the removal and cleanup operations.
He also pointed out that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change continues its efforts to monitor and follow up on natural sites and to implement similar campaigns in cooperation with relevant authorities, contributing to the preservation of ecological balance and enhancing the efficiency of natural resource management in the country.
Guwayif shrubs are considered harmful plants that compete with native desert vegetation for water and nutrients and negatively impact the natural habitats of wildlife. This necessitates addressing them through precise scientific methods that ensure their eradication without harming other environmental components.