The Environment Public Authority launched an environmental initiative on January 27 that planted 2,000 Arak trees at a Kuwait air sports club in cooperation with volunteers and officials. The program coincides with a national liberation anniversary and supports broader EPA goals to combat desertification by 2040, an Arab Times report said.
Acting Director General Nouf Behbehani said the initiative reflects an integrated effort to raise environmental awareness and encourage greening activities. Speaking on the sidelines of the launch under the patronage of Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Hamoud Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Behbehani noted that the project includes the planting of 2,000 saplings of the native Arak species at the club’s airport. She added that the timing on the anniversary of Kuwait’s first territory liberation from the Iraqi invasion symbolizes national loyalty and commitment to protecting the land while preserving natural resources and promoting development.
Behbehani praised the contributions of the Ahmadi governor, the Kuwait Municipality and the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs toward supporting greening projects that establish green belts along urban areas and roads. The EPA official said these efforts also protect desert and agricultural lands for sustainable use. The initiative aims to expand vegetation cover throughout affected regions and to instill environmental responsibility in future generations according to her remarks reported in the Arab Times.
Governor Sheikh Hamoud Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah described the initiative as a reflection of national responsibility and social cooperation. He highlighted the involvement of students in the tree planting to foster environmental education and a love for nature. Sheikh Hamoud Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah emphasized that the project seeks to increase green spaces and promote sustainability adding thanks to all participating entities for their support in the event.
Acting Director General Salem Al-Hai of the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs said the authority provided the seedlings and stressed its commitment to promoting agriculture, afforestation and environmental awareness especially among school students. Ahmed Al-Shalahi the president of the Kuwaiti Air Sports Club said in remarks carried by the Arab Times that the initiative was developed in coordination with the EPA the agriculture authority and the municipality. Al-Shalahi noted that the Arak trees planted in the Nuwaiseeb area were arranged to form the word “Kuwait” allowing the display to be visible from the air as a unique feature of the program.
A Kuwait Times report citing the EPA detailed the authority’s target to reduce degraded land to 35-40 percent by 2040 through its National Land Degradation Neutrality Strategy aligned with Vision 2035. This includes large-scale afforestation with native and drought-resistant species as well as the creation of protected reserves and green walls across the country. The January initiative with Arak trees fits within these ongoing measures to enhance vegetation in the arid environment.
The Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs has led multiple afforestation campaigns in recent years that have resulted in the planting of thousands of trees and shrubs in various locations. Similar volunteer-driven events have focused on building public engagement in sustainability as part of the Kuwait Plants campaign that began in 2019. EPA data shows these programs prioritize species that can withstand the harsh local climate to effectively combat ongoing desertification trends in the region.
