مبادرة بيئية لمكافحة «نبتة التبغ الكاذب» ضمن فعاليات صيف النماص

The Municipality of Al-Namas Governorate, in partnership with the Office of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, the Center for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification, and the Parks Administration in Asir, organized a two-day field awareness event as part of the "Namas Summer 2025" programs. The aim was to combat the spread of the false tobacco plant in several villages and locations within the governorate. The event focused on various locations in Al-Namas and included field awareness about the harms of this invasive plant to the local environment, in addition to presenting a scientific plan to address the affected areas and methods to prevent its return in the future. The campaign witnessed the implementation of field tours with the participation of work teams and volunteers, during which a large number of these plants were removed from parks and areas where they spread. The danger of this plant lies in its strong resistance to heat and drought, as well as its ability to invade the sites of native plants and compete for soil, posing a real threat to plant diversity, especially in the environment of the southwestern highlands. Additionally, its parts contain semi-toxic compounds known as "anabasine," a substance that can lead to poisoning in humans and animals upon exposure. The initiative aimed to raise community awareness about the dangers of false tobacco, activate community partnership by involving youth and volunteers in awareness tours, and enhance national values and joint environmental work. Educational meetings were also organized with the participation of specialists and representatives from relevant associations and sectors. This event is part of a 12-month timeline plan, through which the organizing entities aim to systematically eradicate the plant, within a collaborative framework with the local community, in preparation for the formation of supervisory teams from the local population to monitor implementation and track results.