Workshop to develop wetlands strategy

A campaign to protect wetlands in the UAE and the diverse species that inhabit them will be developed at a meeting next month.

More than 20 representatives from government and environmental organisations will meet in Sharjah to work out a regional strategy for wetland and waterbird management.

Mangrove forests provide sanctuaries to breeding fish, birds and insects. The UAE has seven sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance, yet mangroves continue to be demolished for coastal developments in the Northern Emirates.

The most recent area to be added to the list, last July, was Al Zora in Ajman, which features mangroves and mudflats and is home to 87 bird species.

Abu Dhabi’s Bul Syayeef is home to large populations of greater flamingo and dugong, while Dubai’s Ras Al Khor is home to more than 20,000 migratory waterbirds.

On the east coast there are the mangroves at Khor Kalba and Wadi Wurayah National Park. The UAE’s first national park, Wadi Wurayah in Fujairah, won Unesco Biosphere Reserve status last month.

The Eastern Mangroves in Abu Dhabi are a popular tourist attraction, and home to many species.

Participants at the two-day workshop will draft a regional waterbird and wetland monitoring strategy, track existing local, federal and regional initiatives and identify conservation gaps.

The workshop is being organised by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in co-ordination with Wetlands International and BirdLife International.