RIYADH: In a milestone for Saudi Arabia’s conservation efforts, the Ibex Reserve has become the first protected area in the Kingdom to be added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Green List.
This recognition places it among only 77 protected areas worldwide that meet the union’s strict criteria for effective management and conservation, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The National Center for Wildlife, which oversees the reserve, emphasized the significance of this recognition, as only a small number of more than 300,000 protected areas globally have earned a place on the Green List.
The Green List program recognizes outstanding areas for effective and equitable management in nature conservation, offering benefits to stakeholders.
For the Ibex Reserve, this listing marks a global endorsement, evaluated by independent experts, of its exemplary management and commitment to preserving ecosystems and biodiversity.
The Green List status highlights the reserve’s contribution to sustainable development and its success in providing valuable services to local communities.
The listing reflects the reserve’s achievement in key criteria, including governance, management, design and planning, along with its understanding of social, economic and environmental challenges.
Mohammed Qurban, CEO of the National Center for Wildlife, said: “This listing reaffirms our commitment to preserving ecosystems and supports our 30x30 goal to protect 30 percent of the Kingdom’s land and marine areas by 2030.”
Qurban added that the center aimed to register all national reserves on the Green List as part of Saudi Vision 2030, aligning with global conservation standards and promoting sustainable resource use.
Established in 1988 in the Riyadh region at the request of local communities, the Ibex Reserve spans 1,840 sq. km within the Tuwaiq Mountain range, featuring diverse landscapes, flora and fauna.
It is home to a healthy population of mountain ibex, as well as gazelles, antelopes, hyraxes, and various birds and reptiles.
