UAE: Who's behind Dubai's massive 300,000-tree plantation project and how much did it really cost?

Time of India

a day ago

The AED190 million landscaping project covers more than three million square metres, including smart irrigation and native tree species planting/ Representative Image
TL;DR
Dubai
planted 300,000+ trees across major roads in the first half of 2025.
The effort cost AED190 million and covered over 3 million square metres.
Native and ornamental species were used, all supported by smart irrigation systems.
This project aligns with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master
Plan
and
Green Dubai
initiative.
Dubai Municipality
drives the mission to make the city more sustainable and liveable.
Between January and June 2025, Dubai Municipality completed a wide-ranging afforestation and landscaping campaign targeting major intersections and arterial roadways. These were not random patches of greenery, they were strategically designed, coordinated, and carefully engineered to both enhance visual aesthetics and deliver long-term environmental gains.
Key landscaped locations:
Al Khail Road × Latifa bint Hamdan Street
Sheikh
Zayed bin Hamdan Street
× Tripoli Street
Sheikh
Rashid Street
(from Sheikh
Khalifa bin Zayed Street
to Al Mina Road)
Sheikh Zayed Road (7th Interchange, Dubai's gateway from Abu Dhabi)
Al Khawaneej Street × Al Amardi Street
In these areas, the municipality planted:
Over 300,000 trees and seedlings
222,500 square metres of ground cover and seasonal flowers
To support this scale, the city employed smart water management through sustainable underground pump irrigation systems, all linked to IoT-enabled remote control networks. These technologies allow for real-time monitoring of water usage, helping to conserve water while ensuring every plant receives adequate hydration, critical in Dubai's arid climate.
Plant selection was equally deliberate, balancing native species for resilience with ornamental species for beauty and diversity.
Species planted included:
Native: sidr, ghaf, neem
Ornamental: chorisia, washingtonia, royal poinciana, millingtonia, albizia, bougainvillaea
'The landscaping projects were developed in accordance with specific urban and environmental criteria, with a focus on selecting diverse plant species adapted to the local climate,' said Bader Anwahi, CEO of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality.
He added that many of the plants came from Dubai Municipality's own nurseries, further emphasizing sustainability and local adaptation. To unify the look of Dubai's city entrances, the Municipality also installed decorative fencing using a carefully curated colour palette that reflects the city's identity and offers a sense of welcome to visitors.
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Who Plants All These Trees? The People and Processes Behind the Greening Machine
Planting 300,000 trees in six months is no ordinary feat, it requires more than a landscaping team; it demands a full logistical ecosystem.
Though Dubai Municipality has not released specific figures on labour involvement, the operation clearly required:
Dozens of project planners and landscape architects
Hundreds of field workers, equipment operators, and nursery staff
Irrigation engineers and technicians to install and monitor smart watering systems
The planting process involves several steps:
Cultivation in nurseries, tailored to Dubai's climate
Ground preparation and soil treatment in designated sites
Tree transport and installation, using heavy machinery and manual labour
Connection to underground irrigation networks
Calibration of smart watering systems for efficient water distribution
'Our aim is to reinforce Dubai's distinctive urban and aesthetic identity and solidify its position as a leading sustainable global city,' said Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality.
'We seek to offer a vibrant and healthy living environment that upholds the highest standards of quality of life for residents and visitors, while maintaining a harmonious balance between the urban, architectural, and environmental landscape.'
In addition to flora, visual design elements were integrated, like the vertical lighting poles inspired by traditional Arab architecture at the Al Khail–Latifa bint Hamdan intersection.
These lights change colour during national celebrations and are harmonised with surrounding greenery to create a memorable urban feature.
Greener, Smarter, Pricier – What It All Costs
The total price tag for the first-half planting campaign? AED190 million.
That budget covered not only trees and flowers but also:
Landscape design and soil preparation
Underground irrigation infrastructure
Smart monitoring systems
Decorative fencing and urban elements like lighting
Key growth figures:
In 2024, Dubai planted 216,500 trees — approx. 600 per day
In the first half of 2025, the number rose to 300,000+
By the end of Q1 2025, Dubai Municipality was managing:
5.5 million trees and seedlings
8.7 million sq. m. of green areas
2 million sq. m. of seasonal flowers
6.3 million sq. m. of ground covers
1.3 million linear metres of plant fencing
Dubai's green space expanded to 391.5 hectares in 2024, up from 234 hectares in 2023, a 67% increase in just one year.
These figures speak not just to aesthetic transformation, but to a deeper municipal ambition: making green infrastructure part of the city's identity, climate adaptation strategy, and livability index.
The Engine Behind It All: Dubai Municipality
If Dubai's new green corridors are the output, Dubai Municipality is the machinery behind it, a sprawling civic engine that operates 24/7 to keep the city not just functioning, but thriving.
Established in 1954 by His Highness Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Municipality is the emirate's oldest government entity. Its responsibilities today extend far beyond parks and trees, encompassing every dimension of urban life.
Key responsibilities include:
Urban planning and legislation
Managing public parks, beaches, and recreational areas
Operating food safety systems and health inspections
Supervising worker accommodations and public health standards
Wastewater, sewage, and irrigation infrastructure
Consumer protection, product conformity, and testing
Beautification and preservation of urban heritage
The Municipality operates:
2 sectors
4 agencies
37 departments
Delivers 150+ public services
Oversees 800+ daily operations
Guided by its official mandate, Dubai Municipality aims to make Dubai more beautiful, sustainable, pioneering, and liveable, every day.
FAQs:
Q. Who planted 300,000 trees in Dubai?
Dubai Municipality led the initiative as part of its large-scale landscaping and sustainability efforts.
Q. When did this tree planting take place?
The planting occurred during the first half of 2025,from January to June.
Q. Where were the trees planted?
They were planted along major intersections and roads like Al Khail Road, Sheikh Zayed Road, and more.
Q. What types of trees were planted and where did they come from?
A mix of native species (like ghaf, sidr, neem) and ornamental trees (such as bougainvillaea and washingtonia) were used, many cultivated in Dubai Municipality's nurseries.
Q. Why is Dubai planting so many trees?
To improve urban aesthetics, support sustainability, and meet goals under the Dubai 2040 Master Plan.