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Dubai: The Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) is participating in the 14th International Plants Expo Middle East (IPM Dubai) at Dubai World Trade Centre. EPAA is showcasing local flowers and plants to underline the importance of local plants as a national treasure and a form of sustainable vegetation.
EPAA’s participation this year is centred around a scientific study entitled ‘Local Plants Are the Solution’, which highlights the proposal to reduce the consumption of groundwater by using local plants to decorate streets, roads and gardens instead of ornamental plants that pose a threat to the environment and groundwater supplies. EPAA will also showcase some local plants and Sharjah Natural History & Botanical Museum’s Botanical Garden, which is the first of its kind in the UAE and a miniature version of the Emirate of Sharjah with its variety of environments and plants.
HE Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, EPAA Chairperson, said, “We are always keen to participate in this important and very popular exhibition. It is the ideal place to meet people who are interested in gardening and specialists in flowers and plants, and a platform for sharing ideas, proposals, initiatives and experiences related to agriculture, flowers, the environment and local plants.”
She pointed out that IPM is an opportunity to interact with visitors, the public, specialists and researchers and to discuss the cultivation of local plants, which are a national treasure and a sustainable form of vegetation. It is also a chance to boost awareness about the importance of agriculture and protecting and preserving the environment.
Mrs Al Suwaidi added, “His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, has made the conservation of wilderness areas a priority. He issued Administrative Decision No. 1 of 2008 on the Preservation and Conservation of the Sustainable Desert Environment in the Emirate of Sharjah. His Highness stressed the need to protect wild plants by collecting their seeds for preservation and propagation because local plants are an important natural and national treasure.”
To achieve its objectives, EPAA has a seed bank and nursery at Sharjah Natural History & Botanical Museum. EPAA has also introduced various initiatives to promote the importance of local plants. The ‘Fill Your Home with Plants’ initiative was launched for 3 months in 2018 as part of EPAA’s plans to propagate local plants for beautification and to encourage green sustainability.
Seed Bank
Mrs Al Suwaidi said that the Seed Bank is a refrigerated temperature-controlled room equipped with special shelves and divided into four sections: Conservation; Supply; Agriculture; and Research. The main objectives of the Bank, which includes the seeds of 80 different local plants, is to preserve and protect seeds and to grow local plants from seed. The Bank also contributes to scientific research by providing universities with seeds from local plants and giving individuals different seeds in order to propagate plants in different environments. EPAA aims to collect the largest number of seeds and increase the number of species in the Seed Bank.
Nursery
Mrs Al Suwaidi explained that the nursery is dedicated to growing various local plants from seed in a suitable environment. This helps to increase the number of local plants, to enhance their importance by providing organisations, protected areas, universities and individuals with local plants, and to supply plants to the Botanical Garden. EPAA also takes part in different afforestation campaigns. The propagation of seedlings helps to create a special area for scientific research.
‘Fill Your Home with Plants’
Mrs Al Suwaidi said that the ‘Fill Your Home with Plants’ initiative was launched as part of EPAA’s plan to use local plants for beautification, to encourage green sustainability and to make people aware of the plants’ importance. Individuals were provided with a total of 10 different native plants including Ghaf, Christ’s Thorn, jujube, Acacia, Salvadora persica and Moringa peregrina, and 4,653 seedlings were distributed.
The 14th IPM Dubai will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports and President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, in partnership with Messe Essen GmbH and planetfair Dubai LLC. IPM Dubai hosts a wide range of the latest innovations in the market and gardening specialists in order to meet the growing demand in this sector. IPM Dubai is the only trade exhibition in the Gulf region that combines exhibition spaces for plants, technology, the flower trade, garden equipment, logistics, plant care, gardening and landscaping, making it the most important platform for the green sector in the region.
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