Oman is greening its mangrove forests.

SGGP 02/11/2023 06:15

In an effort to preserve its coastal ecosystem, the Middle Eastern oil-exporting nation of Oman is stepping up projects to restore the mangrove forests that once covered the country but died thousands of years ago due to climate change.

Standing under the canopy of an 80-hectare preserved mangrove forest in the Al-Qurm area of Muscat, environmental scientist Zakiya al-Afifi is measuring the bark of mangrove trees to estimate their _CO2 absorption capacity. According to al-Afifi, mangrove forests are the world's largest _carbon sinks and represent one of the nature-based solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Planting trees in Oman

Zakiya al-Afifi stated that the above-ground biomass of the Al-Qurm mangrove forest can store up to 80 tons of CO2 _per hectare, and even the sediment layer beneath the surface has the potential to retain larger amounts of emissions. Mangrove habitats can remove _CO2 from the atmosphere at a faster rate than forests and store it for longer periods. Each mangrove tree has a super-filtration system to protect it from salt intrusion, along with a specialized root system that allows it to breathe in muddy conditions or during high tides. Without intensified efforts to restore mangrove forests, one day humanity may lose them entirely due to climate change.

Protecting mangrove forests has become one of the Omani government 's green policies. Since 2001, Oman has implemented a mangrove restoration project covering approximately 1,000 hectares across its coastline. After numerous trials of different planting techniques, such as seedling propagation or drone seed sowing, scientists have adopted direct seed sowing, which is considered more effective.

Over the past two years, more than 3.5 million seeds have been sown directly in designated areas, with 2 million seeds sown this year alone, aiming to plant 850,000 seedlings to be transferred to coastal areas.

Beyond simply greening coastal areas, reforestation efforts are being implemented throughout Oman. During Oman's Tree Day week, held at the end of October, tree-planting activities were carried out in many provinces and cities, with active participation from schools and social organizations. Omanis believe that trees are a crucial natural element in creating sustainable cities.

In addition, Oman is promoting carbon credit programs, which have become a popular tool for businesses seeking to offset their carbon emissions. Calculations show that removing or reducing one ton of _CO2 from the atmosphere is equivalent to one carbon credit. These credits are generated through mangrove reforestation or forest restoration. The Omani environmental authority has contracted with the country's MSA Green Projects company to plant 100 million trees over four years.

As part of the project, 20,000 hectares of land in Al Wusta province will be converted into a mangrove habitat. It is estimated that, upon completion, this project will remove 14 million tons _{of CO2} and generate $150 million through carbon credits.

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