Saudi Arabia to plant trees in desert using drones

The campaign is part of a plan to cultivate local trees and wild plants in the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve in Hail. (File/Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve)

• The afforestation campaign is part of the Saudi and Middle East green initiatives

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is planning to use drones to plant 100,000 trees in a nature reserve in the north of the Kingdom.
The move is part of a plan to develop vegetation cover, combat desertification, and cultivate local trees and wild plants in the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve in Hail.
Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd, minister of state and chairman of the reserve’s board of directors, said the afforestation campaign aims to preserve environmental diversity and strengthen environmental protection.
The drones will be used to accurately spread seeds over 200 hectares of varying terrain.
As part of the Saudi and Middle East green initiatives, launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman earlier this year, Saudi Arabia aims to plant 10 billion trees in the Kingdom in the coming decades.