Director of Public Parks Department Eng. Muhammad Ali Al Khouri addressing the press conference yesterday.
Over half a million trees have been planted under ‘Plant Million Tree’ initiative of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME).
“So far, we have planted 530,000 trees under the initiative, which targets to plant a million trees before 2022 FIFA World Cup,” said Director of Public Parks Department, Eng. Muhammad Ali Al Khouri, at a press conference yesterday.
“The initiative ‘Plant Million Tree’ was inaugurated by H E Prime Minister and Minister of Interior in March 2019, as part of Qatar’s efforts to combat climate change and reduce carbon footprint following the Paris Agreement on climate change.”
Al Khouri said under the initiative, launched by Climate Change Department of Environment Affairs Sector of MME, the Public Parks Department was planting trees across the country in coordination with Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and other institutions and organisations.
“The number of public parks in Qatar has so far reached 104, and we strive to build a park in every residential area,” said Eng. Al Khouri. Currently, he said, according to the new planning, it is being taken into consideration to provide a public park, walkway and cycling track at all possible residential areas following the requirements of ongoing beautification projects.
“The process of planting trees and landscaping is carried out mainly in areas that have a complete infrastructure with irrigation system to ensure sustainability.” He noted that cultivation on roadsides across the country depends on the readiness of these areas to meet the requirements such as availability of sustainable treated water sources.
He said the Public Parks Department was coordinating with Ashghal for utilising spaces at roadsides that have treated water lines for irrigation to give priority for plantation.
He said Ashghal was working in full swing in coordination with Public Parks Department to provide irrigation system at roadsides in a bid to complete plantation and landscaping.
“The desert climate and water scarcity are among the major obstacles in plantation work which is being overcome by planting tree species that do not consume large quantities of water, and the best techniques are used in the irrigation network in addition to the use of treated water.”
He said the initiative aims at enhancing biodiversity by utilising treated water for irrigation and conserving water resources by taking 70% of the water used for this initiative from treated wastewater.
“Improving air quality, increasing greeneries and landscaping, reducing carbon emissions and raising the level of quality of life are also among the major goals of the initiative,” said Eng. Al Khouri.
