FOR almost 20 years, Emirates has helped support a sustainable and balanced ecosystem at the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) through an ongoing investment of over AED 28 million ($7.6 million). The funding has helped to preserve Dubai's unique desert environment that is teeming with indigenous flora and fauna of all shapes and sizes, and has helped to raise awareness about the abundant natural beauty found in the UAE's terrestrial ecosystems.
DDCR is a 225 square kilometer conservation reserve, and represents close to 5 percent of Dubai's total land area — the biggest piece of land which Dubai has dedicated to a single project. The reserve protects the incredible wildlife and resilient vegetation within the vibrant UAE ecosystem, and now houses over 560 different species and 31,000 native trees. Over 29,000 of those trees are now sustainable without irrigation, like the native Ghaf tree (Prosopis cineraria), which has roots that can go down to 30 meters, enabling it to reach the water table in the DDCR.
Continue reading with one of these options:
Ad-free access
P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
- Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
- Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)