DM keeps Car-Free Day promise on mangroves
dubai —a mangrove planting event was ORGANISED by THE DUBAI municiplaity at JEBEL ALI MARINE sanctuary to mark THE close of its ACTIVITIES for THE world environment day. A total of 2,000 mangroves were planted, ENHANCING existing mangrove forests.
it was during this year’s CAR FREE DAY that THE CIVIC body HAD announced it would plant A number of mangroves equivalent to THE number of cars that were not driven on that day.
alya al harmoudi, director of environment department at DUBAI municipality, SAID GIVEN that THE THEME for world environment DAY this year — connecting people to nature — THE activity was A REWARDING volunteering EXPERIENCE.
“as THE YEAR of GIVING is A priority, we wanted to link our ACTIVITIES during THE world environment DAY with that. THERE ARE many ways to GIVE, INCLUDING GIVING to nature AND to THE community, AND we want to ENCOURAGE people to join us in this GIVING by
Mangrove forests absorb five times more carbon dioxide from the air than other trees.” Tasnim Al Falasi, head of environment awareness section
providing opportunities for them to do so,” said al harmoudi.
tasnim al falasi, head of the environment awareness section, said: “mangrove roots bind sand and prevent the erosion of our coasts from wave activity. mangrove forests absorb five times more carbon dioxide from the air than other tree species and so help us improve our air quality,” she said.
she added that the municipality had released 40 rehabilitated rescued sea turtles at the jebel ali marine reserve last month. “when injured turtles are found on the beach, the public are asked to take them to the dubai turtle rehabilitation centre, where they are nursed back to health before being released at the sanctuary,” she said.
this monday, 70 hawksbill hatchlings emerged from their nests much to the delight of those volunteers who arrived to plant their mangrove trees.
al falasi said the nests had been relocated to a protected nursery at jebel ali marine sanctuary to prevent predation from foxes and inundation from the sea.
“the community members were invited to volunteer for this worthwhile conservation effort and aid these freshly hatched turtles on their journey to the sea,” she said.