كان شروق شمس رؤية المملكة 2030 إيذاناً بانطلاق نهضة بيئية غير مسبوقة نقلت المملكة إلى مصاف الدول المتقدمة في المجال البيئي، بل لا نبالغ إذا قلنا إن المملكة وفي فترة زمنية قصيرة أصبحت تتزعم دول العالم في المبادرات والبرامج والمشاريع البيئية.
تنوعت مظاهر النهضة البيئية في المملكة وتعددت ملامحها؛ فمن إنشاء المحميات الملكية، وتضاعف رقعة المساحات الخاضعة للحماية، إلى تأسيس القوات الخاصة للأمن البيئي، وإنجاز الإستراتيجيات والتشريعات المنظمة للشأن البيئي، والتوسع في الاستفادة من الطاقة المتجددة، وطموح الوصول للحياد الكربوني خلال عقود قليلة قادمة، وأخيراً وليس آخراً إنشاء المراكز البيئية المتخصصة، ومنها المركز الوطني لتنمية الغطاء النباتي ومكافحة التصحر، الذي يحمل على عاتقه مسؤولية كبيرة في الحد من التصحر، وإعادة تأهيل الغطاء النباتي الطبيعي الذي تعرض لاستنزاف خطير خلال العقود الماضية، كما يقود المركز مبادرة السعودية الخضراء، وهي واحدة من أكبر -إن لم تكن الأكبر- طموحا وتمكينا في العالم.
وفي ضوء التغييرات الجديدة في الإدارة التنفيذية للمركز، ولتحقيق المستهدفات الوطنية، أرى أنه من الضروري أن تأخذ الإدارة الجديدة في الحسبان الاعتبارات التالية:
إن إدارة هذا المركز العملاق، الذي يحظى باهتمام خاص ودعم من القيادة الرشيدة، وبالنظر إلى مستهدفاته الطموحة، ودوره البالغ الأهمية، تتطلب جهوداً استثنائية وأساليب مبتكرة، ورؤية شمولية.
حققت الإدارة السابقة للمركز العديد من الإنجازات، ويكفي أنها واكبت تأسيس وانطلاق المركز من الصفر، ولابد من الإفادة من تلك الإنجازات، والبناء عليها.
نحن في عصر الشفافية والحوكمة، ما يعني أن ثقافة التقوقع والانغلاق، والمبادرات والقرارات المرتجلة وغير المدروسة بعناية، نتائجها كارثية (ما حصل في متنزه الغضا بالقصيم بالسماح للإبل بالرعي فيه نموذج للقرارات المتسرعة).
إطلاق الأرقام والإحصائيات غير الدقيقة في مجال التشجير، واستقطاب المؤثرين والمشاهير لترويجها والدعاية لها، ثقافة لا تجدي في هذا المجال المفتوح الذي يحظى باهتمام ومتابعة القيادة الرشيدة، وقطاع كبير من الهواة والناشطين والخبراء والجمعيات البيئية.
في المنتزهات الوطنية فرص استثمارية كبيرة، إذا أديرت بفكر استثماري ناضج، كما أن النباتات البرية المحلية، ثروة لم تستغل، سواء في الأغراض التنسيقية، أو الطبية، أو التصنيعية، أو التغذوية. تعظيم الاستفادة منها سيشجع على حفظها وإكثارها، ويحقق عوائد اقتصادية كبيرة.
تشجيع وتبني الابتكارات في مجالات التشجير، وتقنيات الري، ومكافحة التصحر، والرصد المبكر لحرائق الغابات، من شأنه أن يسهل تحقيق المستهدفات الوطنية، ويصون الموارد الطبيعية.
الالتفات للحيازات الزراعية، سواء العاملة، أو المهجورة، وإدراجها في منظومة التشجير وفق أسس علمية، سيزيد رقعة المساحة الخضراء ويحقق فوائد بيئية واقتصادية عديدة.
الاستخدام الرشيد للموارد المائية المتنوعة سيسهم في تحقيق تنمية مستدامة للغطاء النباتي.
وضع إستراتيجية ملائمة لحصر ورصد الأنواع النباتية الغازية، وتنفيذ برامج مدروسة للسيطرة المبكرة عليها، سيكون له أكبر الأثر في خفض أضرارها والحد من انتشارها.
تمكين الجمعيات العاملة في مجال البيئة والتشجير بشكل خاص، ودعمها وتبني مبادراتها، ستشكّل إضافة حقيقية لجهود تعزيز الغطاء النباتي، وتحقق مستهدفات رؤية السعودية 2030 بتمكين القطاع غير الربحي.
لا يزال تشجير الطرق البرية، وجوانب خطوط السكك الحديدية غائباً رغم أهميته، التعجيل ببرامج تشجير مدروسة وفعالة لهذه المواقع سيشكل نقلة نوعية في جهود التشجير.
أخيراً.. لا شك أن المركز الوطني لتنمية الغطاء النباتي يحظى بدعم وتمكين حكومة خادم الحرمين وولي عهده، لتحقيق مستهدفات مبادرة السعودية الخضراء الطموحة، وهذا يتطلب تظافر جميع الجهود، وإشراك كافة الأطراف، فنجاح مشاريع التخضير، والحد من التصحر، تصب في مصلحة الوطن والمواطن والبيئة والتنمية المستدامة.
د. عبدالرحمن الصقير
تنمية الغطاء النباتي واستحقاقات المرحلة المقبلة
5 أغسطس 2025 - 00:11
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آخر تحديث 5 أغسطس 2025 - 00:11
تابع قناة عكاظ على الواتساب
The sunrise of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 marked the beginning of an unprecedented environmental renaissance that has elevated the Kingdom to the ranks of advanced countries in the environmental field. Indeed, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Kingdom has, in a short period, become a leader among the world's nations in environmental initiatives, programs, and projects.
The manifestations of the environmental renaissance in the Kingdom are diverse and multifaceted; from the establishment of royal reserves, the doubling of protected areas, to the founding of the Special Forces for Environmental Security, the completion of strategies and legislation governing environmental matters, the expansion of renewable energy utilization, the ambition to achieve carbon neutrality within a few decades, and last but not least, the establishment of specialized environmental centers, including the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, which bears a significant responsibility in reducing desertification and rehabilitating the natural vegetation cover that has suffered severe depletion over the past decades. The center also leads the Saudi Green Initiative, which is one of the largest—if not the largest—ambitions and empowerments in the world.
In light of the new changes in the executive management of the center, and to achieve national targets, I believe it is essential for the new management to take the following considerations into account:
Managing this giant center, which enjoys special attention and support from the wise leadership, and considering its ambitious targets and its crucial role, requires exceptional efforts, innovative methods, and a comprehensive vision.
The previous management of the center achieved many accomplishments, and it is enough to note that it accompanied the establishment and launch of the center from scratch, and it is necessary to benefit from those achievements and build upon them.
We are in an era of transparency and governance, which means that a culture of isolation and closure, along with hasty and poorly studied initiatives and decisions, can have catastrophic results (what happened in Al-Ghaza Park in Qassim by allowing camels to graze there is an example of hasty decisions).
The release of inaccurate figures and statistics in the field of afforestation, as well as attracting influencers and celebrities to promote and advertise them, is a culture that is ineffective in this open field, which is under the attention and follow-up of the wise leadership and a large sector of enthusiasts, activists, experts, and environmental associations.
National parks present significant investment opportunities if managed with mature investment thinking. Additionally, local wild plants are an untapped resource, whether for landscaping, medicinal, manufacturing, or nutritional purposes. Maximizing their benefits will encourage their preservation and propagation, achieving substantial economic returns.
Encouraging and adopting innovations in the fields of afforestation, irrigation techniques, combating desertification, and early detection of forest fires will facilitate the achievement of national targets and safeguard natural resources.
Paying attention to agricultural holdings, whether active or abandoned, and incorporating them into the afforestation system based on scientific principles will increase the area of green space and achieve numerous environmental and economic benefits.
The prudent use of diverse water resources will contribute to achieving sustainable development of vegetation cover.
Establishing a suitable strategy to identify and monitor invasive plant species, along with implementing well-studied programs for early control, will have a significant impact on reducing their harm and limiting their spread.
Empowering associations working in the field of the environment and afforestation in particular, supporting them, and adopting their initiatives will constitute a real addition to efforts to enhance vegetation cover and achieve the targets of Saudi Vision 2030 by empowering the non-profit sector.
Afforestation along roads and railway lines is still lacking despite its importance; accelerating well-studied and effective afforestation programs for these locations will represent a qualitative leap in afforestation efforts.
Finally, there is no doubt that the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development enjoys the support and empowerment of the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince to achieve the ambitious targets of the Saudi Green Initiative. This requires the concerted efforts of all parties and the involvement of all stakeholders, as the success of greening projects and combating desertification serves the interests of the nation, the citizen, the environment, and sustainable development.
The manifestations of the environmental renaissance in the Kingdom are diverse and multifaceted; from the establishment of royal reserves, the doubling of protected areas, to the founding of the Special Forces for Environmental Security, the completion of strategies and legislation governing environmental matters, the expansion of renewable energy utilization, the ambition to achieve carbon neutrality within a few decades, and last but not least, the establishment of specialized environmental centers, including the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, which bears a significant responsibility in reducing desertification and rehabilitating the natural vegetation cover that has suffered severe depletion over the past decades. The center also leads the Saudi Green Initiative, which is one of the largest—if not the largest—ambitions and empowerments in the world.
In light of the new changes in the executive management of the center, and to achieve national targets, I believe it is essential for the new management to take the following considerations into account:
Managing this giant center, which enjoys special attention and support from the wise leadership, and considering its ambitious targets and its crucial role, requires exceptional efforts, innovative methods, and a comprehensive vision.
The previous management of the center achieved many accomplishments, and it is enough to note that it accompanied the establishment and launch of the center from scratch, and it is necessary to benefit from those achievements and build upon them.
We are in an era of transparency and governance, which means that a culture of isolation and closure, along with hasty and poorly studied initiatives and decisions, can have catastrophic results (what happened in Al-Ghaza Park in Qassim by allowing camels to graze there is an example of hasty decisions).
The release of inaccurate figures and statistics in the field of afforestation, as well as attracting influencers and celebrities to promote and advertise them, is a culture that is ineffective in this open field, which is under the attention and follow-up of the wise leadership and a large sector of enthusiasts, activists, experts, and environmental associations.
National parks present significant investment opportunities if managed with mature investment thinking. Additionally, local wild plants are an untapped resource, whether for landscaping, medicinal, manufacturing, or nutritional purposes. Maximizing their benefits will encourage their preservation and propagation, achieving substantial economic returns.
Encouraging and adopting innovations in the fields of afforestation, irrigation techniques, combating desertification, and early detection of forest fires will facilitate the achievement of national targets and safeguard natural resources.
Paying attention to agricultural holdings, whether active or abandoned, and incorporating them into the afforestation system based on scientific principles will increase the area of green space and achieve numerous environmental and economic benefits.
The prudent use of diverse water resources will contribute to achieving sustainable development of vegetation cover.
Establishing a suitable strategy to identify and monitor invasive plant species, along with implementing well-studied programs for early control, will have a significant impact on reducing their harm and limiting their spread.
Empowering associations working in the field of the environment and afforestation in particular, supporting them, and adopting their initiatives will constitute a real addition to efforts to enhance vegetation cover and achieve the targets of Saudi Vision 2030 by empowering the non-profit sector.
Afforestation along roads and railway lines is still lacking despite its importance; accelerating well-studied and effective afforestation programs for these locations will represent a qualitative leap in afforestation efforts.
Finally, there is no doubt that the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development enjoys the support and empowerment of the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince to achieve the ambitious targets of the Saudi Green Initiative. This requires the concerted efforts of all parties and the involvement of all stakeholders, as the success of greening projects and combating desertification serves the interests of the nation, the citizen, the environment, and sustainable development.


