The Saudi Government has launched a plan to develop the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve into a go-to destination for conservation and heritage tourism.
According to the Government, the plan will set out a comprehensive roadmap that meets the best standards and covers the environmental, economic, social, tourism and cultural aspects of the reserve, which extends over an area of 24,500 square kilometres, and includes 15 distinct ecosystems, from mountain hills to coral reefs, in the northwest of the Kingdom.
The plan will enable the management of the reserve efficiently and effectively by setting basic guidelines for the restoration and conservation of wildlife in accordance with the latest international standards, guiding plans for the reintroduction of species through modern technologies, and setting a framework for the development of the ecotourism system, such as the AMAALA project, which falls within the scope of the reserve and forms part of development projects.
The reserve also hosts four Sites inscribed on the preliminary list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the reserve continues to strive to become the world’s preferred destination for desert conservation and heritage tourism, balancing the needs of local communities.
The integrated development plan for the reserve comes after the completion of intensive studies of the reserve to determine the historical and current state of its environment and the steps necessary to restore ecosystems, plants and animals to what they were a century ago, as the reserve is home to 15 distinct ecosystems, starting from mountain hills, passing through valleys that give life to coral reefs in the Red Sea, creating an exceptional level of biodiversity.
In this context, 23 unique species that have historically existed in the reserve have been selected for resettlement and repatriation of populations of species that roamed the territory in decades past. This will include 16 extinct species within the reserve’s boundaries, 4 critically endangered species, and 3 endangered species, according to the lists of the International Union for Conservation of Nature including the Arabian leopard, Asian cheetah and Arabian oryx. The wildlife reintroduction programme also supports a large-scale habitat restoration project, which will rehabilitate more than 400 species of native plants.
The reserve aims to be a tourist destination that provides visitors with a diverse land and sea experience, while ensuring the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity at the same time.
According to The Prince Mohamed bin Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority CEO Andrew Zalomis, the resettlement program is in line with the strategic objectives of the Royal Reserves Council, which focuses on protecting wildlife, afforestation activities, promoting ecotourism and providing job opportunities.
“The Royal Reserve supports the Kingdom’s efforts in sustainability and preserving the environment by contributing to the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative in protecting 30% of the Kingdom’s onshore and offshore areas by 2030. With this in mind, 11 species of animals have been re-released, some local and some extinct nationally. we have discovered many new species, and trained an effective team of 150 local specialists who play a pivotal role in our mission,” says Zalomis.
Due to the reserve’s strategic location linking major projects such as NEOM, Amala, the Red Sea and AlUla, and its partnerships with many local and international specialized entities, it is planned that by 2025 animals will be allowed to set off in the area freely and easily through an environmental protection area estimated at 70,000 km.2, to contribute to enhancing environmental rehabilitation efforts and achieving the required ecological balance along the areas surrounding the reserve, in addition to creating rich ecotourism experiences. In this regard, the plan aims to boost investment to support environmental and cultural protection programs and create some 5,400 jobs.
The Prince Mohamed bin Salman Royal Reserve is one of eight royal reserves established by royal order and supervised by the Royal Protectorate Council and chaired by His Highness the Crown Prince, namely the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohamed Royal Reserve, Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, Imam Turki bin Abdul Allah Royal Reserve, King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, King Khalid Royal Reserve, and Imam Faisal bin Turki Royal Reserve.
“Thanks to the support of the Saudi leadership in terms of investment and real commitment, we are innovating modern technologies to integrate with the best practices and international standards to preserve the environment and we look forward to spreading its culture in this field with the international scientific community in this field,” says Zalomis.
