RIYADH — The National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) warned that any person spreading seeds on its territory without obtaining a license, will be punished with penalties that include a financial fine of SR20,000. The NCVC stressed the importance of obtaining a license to practice in the work of spreading seeds inside the Vegetation Cover that are under its supervision around Saudi Arabia, which includes the national parks, pastures, forests, valleys and more. According to the executive regulation of NCVC, the persons who will be spreading the seeds inside the NCVC's territory without obtaining a license also will be obligated to remove the violation, and fix the damages they conducted and also to pay the compensations. Those wishing to issue the license to practice spreading seeds inside the Vegetation Cover can contact with the regulations and licensing department through the following email: [email protected] NCVC has determined several standards, conditions and requirements to practice the work of spreading seeds, including issuing a license, spreading seeds of the original species for each region in the same locations for to preserve it and to ensure its growth. This will help the seeds to adapt with the environmental circumstances without causing any negative impact in the groundwater, soil or neighboring plant species. It is important not to spread the seeds of any plant outside its native environment, even if it was a native plant with economic value, in order to protect the dominant vegetation in the original site and to prevent negative genetic mixing in the future. Additionally, the spreading of seeds is a controlled licensed activity in order to ensure that it is free of impurities and bacterial and fungal infections, as well as safety from moisture, rot and any other damage. It is worth mentioning that spreading seeds is one of the approved ways and main pillar of afforestation in Saudi Arabia, through which the NCVC aims to develop the vegetation cover in the sites that are hard to be reached to serve it, and cultivate it with specific species. Spreading seeds is considered a successful and effective method to restore degraded lands, and evolve its productivity and develop their vegetation cover through direct spread of the wild, pastoral, annual or perennial plants suitable for soil types and climatic conditions, before the rain seasons of each region. The NCVC targets pastoral sites through spreading seeds to ensure the availability of protection elements from overgrazing, as well as targeting open sites which are far from pastoralists that are naturally protected. The NCVC is working to develop the vegetation cover sites, protect it, monitor it and rehabilitate the degraded ones around Saudi Arabia. The center also works on detecting encroachments on vegetation cover sites, combating logging, in addition to supervising and investing in pasture lands, forests and national parks, which would enhance the sustainable development and contribute in achieving the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) .
