The ongoing efforts to expand tree planting and rehabilitate natural meadows (rawda) would improve the overall quality of life and help maintain the health of the local environment, several environmental experts and researchers have stressed.
They noted that the success of tree-planting programmes will not depend solely on planting more trees, but rather on selecting climate-resilient native species, properly maintaining them, and ensuring sustained community participation.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change’s programme to rehabilitate Qatar’s natural meadows that support native vegetation includes cultivating local tree seedlings, reintroducing them into natural habitats and monitoring their growth.
The initiative is part of Qatar’s broader 10mn Trees Initiative, launched in 2022 with a target to plant 10mn trees by 2030. The programme is intended to expand green areas, improve air quality, enhance biodiversity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and make greater use of treated wastewater for irrigation.
The programme builds on Qatar’s earlier One million Tree Initiative, which was completed in 2022. Accordingly, green areas increased from 3.5 square kilometres in 2015 to 16.7 square kilometres in 2023, while the 10-million-tree programme was launched in 2022 as its successor.
Environmental researcher and desertification campaigner Ali al-Hanzab said the ministry’s work to propagate and restore native trees and shrubs is particularly important given Qatar’s limited rainfall and harsh summer conditions. The transition from the one-million-tree target to the 10-million-tree programme represents a significant expansion of Qatar’s greening ambitions, while water scarcity makes species selection critical.
Native species capable of tolerating heat and limited water should therefore remain central to afforestation projects, he said. At the same time, residents, land users and businesses should also help protect newly planted trees.
Dr Latifa al-Nuaimi, professor of hydrogeology and environmental studies at Qatar University, described trees as an essential component of a healthy urban environment and urged authorities and contractors to reconsider unnecessary heavy pruning. However, excessive pruning can restrict tree growth and reduce canopy density. Where branches do not pose a safety risk or obstruct movement, trees should generally be allowed to develop more naturally, increasing shade and their environmental benefits.
She also called for stronger maintenance arrangements for public gardens and landscaped areas, arguing that planting programmes will deliver greater value when trees and vegetation receive consistent irrigation and maintenance after installation.
She highlighted the multiple benefits of urban trees, including shade, reduced dust exposure, improved visual quality and psychological comfort, carbon absorption, and providing habitats for birds and other organisms.
Dr Mohamed al-Sheyab, an academic and environmental and engineering expert, said trees contribute to climate mitigation by absorbing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and storing carbon in their biomass.
Expanding tree cover can support cleaner air, ecosystem stability and biodiversity while providing natural carbon storage. However, the climate benefits of afforestation should be understood as part of a broader emissions-reduction strategy rather than as a substitute for cutting greenhouse gas emissions at the source.
Environmental expert Mohamed al-Jaidah said Qatar’s climate and water constraints make the use of locally adapted trees particularly important. He encouraged increased planting in natural areas, along roads, in public parks, and in residential spaces, while highlighting species such as sidra, ghaf, and Prickly acacia for their ability to withstand local environmental conditions. Native trees can offer advantages, including greater tolerance to heat and water scarcity, longer lifespans, and potentially lower maintenance requirements.