Forests and the forestry sector

Resources
The United Arab Emirates is lightly forested, with 3.8 percent forest cover. Much of the UAE interior comprises the northern extent of the Rub¿ Al Khali desert with only scattered areas of scrub characterized by species such as Prosopis cineraria. In the Hajar Mountains the prevalent vegetation includes Acacia spp. and Zizyphus spp.

Almost all of the forest area in the UAE, estimated in 2000 as 321 000 hectares, is plantation. An extensive afforestation programme involving the planting of around 200 hectares annually has been carried out using underground water, particularly around Bainuna, in the north of Abu Dhabi, mainly for protection, recreational and aesthetic purposes. The most common plantation species are Prosopis cineraria, Acacia spp., Salvadora persica, Ziziphus spina-christi and Eucalyptus spp.

Mangroves, especially Avicennia marina, are found around the coast, and date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) occur around much of the coastal plains. The UAE has a comprehensive greening programme that encompasses the development of extensive nature reserves and municipal parks, as well as active tree and pasture establishment.

The accomplishments of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in tree planting, green landscaping and sand-dune stabilization using underground and piped water are impressive: 340 000 hectares of tree plantations have been established.The political commitment behind this effort (Sheikh Zaied himself) and the consequent allocation of resources should be recognized by international organizations such as FAO.

Products and trade
There are no large-scale forest industries in the UAE. The country imports significant volumes of wood and paper products to meet demand.

Verified data are currently unavailable on the presence or significance of most non-wood forest products (NWFPs) in the UAE. Important NWFPs include frankincense and myrrh resins.

Last updated: May 2004
last updated: Tuesday, March 4, 2008