Salsola tetrandra shrub reappears in Northern Borders after decades-long absence
ARAR: A vital pastoral shrub once widespread in the Hamad area of Saudi Arabia's Northern Borders region has reappeared after decades of absence, the Saudi Press Agency reports.
Environment authorities have attributed the near extinction of the plant in the 1990s due to overgrazing.
Lately, Salsola tetrandra shrubs had been reported in inaccessible, rocky areas, signaling the plant's potential for recovery.
The plant is considered a crucial food source for wildlife and livestock. It also plays a critical role in providing sustenance for animals, stabilizing soil, preventing erosion, contributing to the sustainability of natural pastures, and reflecting the Kingdom's rich environmental diversity.
Authorities are intensifying efforts to enhance pasture rehabilitation programs and combat overgrazing, aiming to restore the plant to its previous ecological status.
National environmental protection efforts are expected to facilitate the broader return of Salsola tetrandra in the coming years, bolstering environmental sustainability and restoring balance to natural ecosystems in the Northern Borders.
The Kingdom has been in the forefront of the global campaign to restore ecological balance, with an ambitious plan to plant 10 billions trees and shrubs.
Since its launch of the Saudi Green Initiative in 2021, the Kingdom has planted 100 million trees and shrubs and rehabilitated 118,000 hectares of degraded land.
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