The Red Sea and Amaala are two of the most ambitious regenerative tourism destinations in the world. Red Sea Global (RSG), the company behind these attractions, has now announced the successful launch of its first mangrove nursery. RSG aims to plant 50 million mangrove trees by the year 2030.
The effort is closely aligned with both the Saudi Green Initiative’s national objectives and RSG’s dedication to protecting and reviving the Red Sea coast of the Kingdom. RSG’s goal is to achieve a 30% net conservation benefit by 2040.
“We hold the utmost respect for the environment in which we operate and recognize it as our most valuable asset. It is our shared obligation to not only safeguard it, but also proactively enhance it wherever possible. The successful opening of our Mangrove Nursery is a testament to that unyielding dedication to the preservation and rejuvenation of the Red Sea coastline,” says John Pagano, group CEO at Red Sea Global.
“While we will continue to explore novel approaches, embrace cutting-edge methodologies, and utilize innovate technology, often nature already provides the greatest solutions. The power of mangrove forests to store carbon, to manage flooding and stabilize coastlines, and to provide shelter for fish and other organisms, makes them one of nature’s super ecosystems. Our Mangrove Nursery will increase numbers of mangroves and boost biodiversity, ensuring we reach the environmental ambitions we have set ourselves.”
Protecting and enhancing the natural environment
The seedlings will be nurtured at the nursery for roughly eight months until they reach a height of 80 cm, at which point they will be carefully planted in designated mangrove parks around the destination. To maximise the likelihood of survival, RSG’s scientists opted to cultivate local mangrove species, such as the Rhizophora Mucronate (red mangrove) and the Avicenna Marina (gray mangrove).
Raed Albasseet, group chief environment and sustainability officer at RSG, says: “The establishment of a sustainable mangrove ecosystem is a key part of our commitment to protect and enhance the natural environment of our destination. These trees are among the most efficient tools we have for carbon sequestration, with the capacity to absorb up to 5-10 times more carbon than other plants.
“Coupled with the positive impact on biodiversity, the successful cultivation of seedlings forms a central pillar in our ambition to achieve a 30 percent net conservation benefit across our destinations. I speak for the entire team when I express my pride in reaching this milestone moment for our organization.”
Additionally, mangrove nurseries need to be safeguarded from environmental hazards in their native environments, such as storms, extremely high tides, grazing animals, and algae that consume them. To reduce any potential harm to the seedlings, RSG has put the nursery under the strictest security.
The dedicated mangrove parks will be open for visitors to explore and learn more about the significant role that these plants play in natural ecosystems.
Monitoring the area
Tarik Alabbasi, environmental programs director at RSG, says: “The process of the cultivation and transplantation of mangrove trees is highly technical requiring significant planning and proficiency. Since mangrove forests require water to survive, nurseries are typically located near a source of water within the intertidal zone to ensure the optimal growth of the seedlings.
“We need to carefully track the tide cycles to find periods of low tide in addition to consistently monitoring the weather to avoid windy days.”
The creation of the mangrove nursery is RSG’s most recent effort to safeguard and improve vital habitats for biodiversity. Previous initiatives have included the development of ground-breaking floating coral nurseries to aid in the expansion of the region’s coral reefs as well as the first-ever successful transplantation of native Doum Palm Trees, accomplished earlier this year.
In order to monitor effects and advancements, enhance its methodology, and make sure it achieves its regenerative objectives, the group also frequently undertakes environmental studies of wildlife ecosystems.
RSG recently made its most up-to-date Wildlife and Ecosystem Study findings public. This adds to the data gathered from the largest environmental baseline survey ever conducted by a developer, which covered 250 km of coastline in the Red Sea and Amaala tourist regions and was published last year.
The Red Sea resort is on schedule to receive its first visitors this year when the first hotels and the international airport open and then, in early 2024, Amaala will open for guests.
Earlier this year, Pagano brought blooloop up to date on the groundbreaking Saudi giga project, giving more details about its sustainability initiatives. This month, Red Sea Global has also installed 750,000 solar panels and five solar stations to power the first phase of the project.
