Saudi Aramco organized on Thursday its seventh campaign to plant 10,000 mangrove trees on the shores of Tarout Bay near Ras Tannura Refinery on the Arabian Gulf coast. The campaign, entitled Preserve Mangroves, was organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture's Fish Research Center. More than 500 pupils between the ages of eight and 18 from Eastern Province schools and orphanages participated in the campaign along with the company's employees and local businessmen. Aramco organized the event as part of its efforts to increase the environmental awareness of members of the public and the company's employees. Speaking on the occasion, Khaled Abdulaziz Al-Faleh, CEO Saudi Aramco, said, “What we have really planted today is environmental awareness in the future generation.” “The main reason for the campaign,” he added, “is to protect the marine environment in particular, and the environment in general. But the participation of our children today will definitely lead to better awareness of the environment in the hearts and minds of future generations.” Since the early 1990s, Saudi Aramco and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals have conducted similar planting campaigns in Saffaniya, Tanaqeeb and Ras Abu'ali. The company has also made notable efforts in supporting the Mangrove Protection Committee that is headed by the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, and includes the Ministry of Agriculture, the Coast Guard and the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment Protection. Mangroves are tropical trees that grow on saline coastal wetlands providing essential nursery grounds for marine wildlife, such as, fish and shrimp.
