Saudi Arabia approves establishment of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal Nature Reserve

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal Nature Reserve and the formation of its board of directors, creating a 4,310-square-kilometer protected area encompassing Dhurma, Al-Muzahimiyah and the areas between them.

Ibrahim Al-Sultan, Minister of State, Cabinet member and CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for the approval.

He said the decision reflects the leadership’s commitment to protecting natural sites, developing reserves and preserving the Kingdom’s environmental, rural and cultural assets.

The reserve features a distinctive landscape combining the Tuwaiq Mountains, sand dunes and traditional rural environments.

Al-Sultan said the Royal Commission for Riyadh City will oversee the reserve’s objectives, which focus on environmental protection and ecosystem restoration, economic prosperity and social development.

The commission will coordinate with relevant authorities to implement plans to protect and rehabilitate areas adjacent to the Tuwaiq Mountains and regulate urban growth.

He said the plans would take into account the interests of residents, landowners and businesses while preserving the area’s rural character and historical identity.