Riyadh has achieved a 600% increase in the area of protected natural areas within the city and its outskirts compared to developed areas. Among the most notable of these areas are the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, King Khalid Royal Reserve, and the Tuwaiq Reserve, in addition to the Wadi Hanifa and Wadi Al-Sulay. Wadi Hanifa has been rehabilitated over a length of 120 km from the northwest to the south of the city and is actively monitored. A comprehensive plan has also been developed for Wadi Al-Sulay, which stretches 110 km from the northwest to the southeast of the city. The rehabilitation works aim to restore these valleys and their tributaries as channels for rainwater and perennial runoff, as well as to rehabilitate the plant and animal ecosystems.
The efforts to preserve the natural and protected areas in Riyadh aim to contribute to achieving the Green Saudi Initiative 2030 goals, which include protecting 30% of the country’s terrestrial and marine areas, rehabilitating 40 million hectares of land, restoring natural green spaces, and planting over 600 million trees by 2030.
