RIYADH — The first phase of the world's most ambitious urban forestation projects, Riyadh Green Program, involving planting of about 31,000 trees along the 144 km of main roads in the Capital city, was launched here on Tuesday. The main thoroughfares under this project are King Salman Road, King Khaled Road, King Fahd Road, Airport Road, Makkah Road, Northern Ring Road and the Eastern Ring Road. It is one of the four major projects for the city announced by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman last year at the initiative of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salmanm deputy premier and minister of defense. Also, 100,000 shrubs will be planted, bringing the total green areas on these roads around 1.4 million sq. meters. The Riyadh Green Program includes the establishment of 48 major parks in the capital and 3,250 parks within residential neighborhoods. The project is a key element of the Kingdom's 2030 Vision and is an important part of the city's challenges toward becoming one of the top 100 cities in the world and eventually achieving the highest ranking possible. The project includes planting 7.5 million trees across the capital in gardens and parks, mosques, schools, academic, healthcare and public facilities in addition to King Khaled International Airport and most roads, streets, car parking spaces and valleys. To secure the required irrigation water for this project, new irrigation networks will be established to use recycled water, usually being wasted in the valleys. Selected species of trees will be used to make wide shade cover. Those species will survive in Riyadh's desert environment and they will not require large amounts of water. Additionally, required supportive elements will be made available for this project such as a network of nurseries to feed the project with seedlings. Legislation and urban standards will be developed to encourage tree planting on public and private projects, and all local community groups will be encouraged to participate in volunteering initiatives within the Green Riyadh project. Green Riyadh will contribute an increase in per capita green space from 1.7 sq. meters to 28 sq. meters, and increase the total green space in the city to 9% or 545 sq. km. Besides its key role in improving the quality of air and reducing temperature, it will be saving natural territories and biological diversity inside and outside the city of Riyadh.
