DOHA: The Qatar-based Centre for Environment Friends is planning to organise a symposium in Doha on acacia tortilis (Umbrella Thorn) the plant selected for this year's environmental programme in Qatar, involving botanical scientists and other experts from across the Gulf.
This was disclosed at a press release issued by the Ford Motors Company recently, inviting applications from the Middle East to its Conservation and Environmental Grants for this year worth $90,000. The Ford Grants celebrates its fifth anniversary in the Middle East this year.
The Flower for Each Spring programme in Qatar, focusing on Al Sidra plant, organised by the CEF under the patronage of H H Sheikha Mouzah bint Nasser Al Missned, had received a $95,000 grant from the company last year. Quoting CEF chairman Dr Saif Al Hajari, the statement said CEF was also planning school field trips to areas of acacia tortilis vegetation in Qatar.
Acacia tortilis, known as Al Samr in Arabic, is a leguminous tree widely found in arid areas of Africa and the Middle East. It produces fragrant clusters of white or pale-yellow flowers typically one centimetre in diameter; and there are often as many as 400 flowers on a single branch. The flowers eventually develop into a yellowy brown fruit.
Other Ford Grants recipients in the region include whale and dolphin researchers in Oman, turtle conservationists in Kuwait, botanical scientists in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, and coral researchers in the UAE, said a press release issued by the company.
The winning projects will be announced in December. Since the grants started in the region in 2000 more than $300,000 in cash has been awarded to around 40 worthy environmental and conservation causes. The programme is open to non-profitable groups and individuals in the GCC and Levant for ongoing projects related to the environment, environmental education and conservation engineering (preservation of historical and cultural heritage).
The deadline for entries is November 4. The winners will be announced in December. Forms are available from Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealers in the Mideast and on the Grant's own website www.ford-environmentalgrants.com, which can be viewed in both English and Arabic, said the release.
© The Peninsula 2004
