Leading environmentalists, academics, government officials and eco-tourism experts visited Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa at the end of December, after a three-day conference identified the award-winning property as the region's leading sustainable eco-tourism development. The Sustainable Eco-Tourism in Desert Ecosystems conference in Dubai was arranged to discuss sustainable development, conservation of natural resources and tourism growth. A benchmark in the conference discussions was the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR); the first and largest protected wildlife conservation area in the UAE, formally recognised as a Protected Area by UNEP, and also home to Emirates' exclusive Al Maha property. In 2003, the Government of Dubai decided to create a nationally significant conservation area and charged Emirates with its management and protection. Since then Emirates has invested over 10 Million dhs in support of wildlife conservation programs, scientific research, and protection of this 225 square kilometer area. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Conservation Board, commented: “Much of the region's natural resources, habitats and wildlife are under pressure; however, sustainable developments such as Al Maha offer the biggest opportunities to develop the tourism economy, while also protecting natural and historic heritage into the future.” Contrary to commonly-held beliefs, deserts are not empty, but are sensitive eco-systems containing living species which have evolved over millions of years within certain climatic conditions, and which support many unique plants and animals - many of which may well be valuable future sources of medical, herbal, and genetic materials, given their unique adaptations. Threatened indigenous wildlife species, including the endangered Arabian Oryx, were first reintroduced in 1998 and 1999 and have been breeding successfully around Al Maha since, with wildlife being released into the greater DDCR area on a regular basis. This year alone has seen six previously unrecorded species returning, along with an increase in a wide variety of both resident and migratory bird species, including the Barbary Falcon, Lappett-faced Vultures, and even migrating Cuckoo. Completely free-roaming wildlife is found within their natural desert and dune surroundings. The reserve is the most actively researched and carefully managed conservation area in the region. It is registered with the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), audited by UNEP's World Conservation Monitoring Center, and is a member of the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN). The DDCR has joined some of the world's most treasured conservation areas, including such reserves as Yellowstone National Park in the USA and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Confirmed by scientific research, the environment and habitat within the DDCR has greatly improved from what it was ten years ago. Quite apart from the wildlife which has been reintroduced, many species that had disappeared from the area are now returning on their own accord. The DDCR is segregated into four utilization zones. In some areas, only researchers are allowed to enter on foot. In another zone a select number of safari operators can conduct safaris for visitors, providing an experience of the desert and dunes, and its unique fauna and flora, and gaining a better understanding of Dubai's conservation efforts. Over 225,000 visitors have experienced the reserve over the past year alone, taking the total to over one million since its opening, without any noticeable damage to the desert habitat. To protect wildlife, and control visitor activities and numbers, the reserve is completely fenced.
