GREEN SPACES AT RISK FROM OFF-ROAD DRIVING
Increased tourism and the widespread use of private vehicles in natural areas have given rise to serious threats
Published: 05:07 PM,Jul 14,2025 | EDITED : 09:07 PM,Jul 14,2025
Some phenomena continue to spoil the experience of enjoying the natural beauty of Dhofar Governorate throughout the year, particularly during the khareef season. One of the most damaging is the random passage of vehicles across green plains and mountain slopes.
Protecting nature - especially vegetation - has become an urgent priority that requires collective effort.
The benefits of preserving these green landscapes are universal, especially during khareef, when Dhofar transforms into one of the most verdant and captivating regions in the Arabian Peninsula. Adorned with a lush green blanket, the governorate draws thousands of visitors from within Oman and abroad.
Dhofar Governorate alone is home to 900 species, representing 64 per cent of Oman’s total flora.
These plants flourish in areas blessed by seasonal rains, making the governorate especially attractive during khareef season.
In response, the Dhofar Municipality has launched a project to protect these vital green spaces from uncontrolled vehicle traffic. This initiative underscores the Municipality’s commitment to preserving one of the governorate’s most important natural assets - its vegetation cover that spans mountains, plains and popular tourist spots.
However, increased tourism and the widespread use of private vehicles in natural areas have given rise to serious threats. Irregular vehicle movements crush plants, damage root systems and disturb the soil structure, reducing its capacity to retain water and air-essential elements for plant growth. Over time, this leads to gradual vegetation loss, eventually transforming once-green areas into barren lands.
The Nature Conservation Society, operating under the Environment Authority, has stepped up efforts to address this issue through an ‘Awareness Initiative.’
Key elements of this initiative include:
Cooperation with authorities such as the Environment Authority, Dhofar Municipality, and Royal Oman Police to close dirt roads before khareef season begins.
Educational outreach to residents and visitors on the importance of protecting green spaces. This involves distributing brochures, conducting biodiversity lectures and sharing multilingual awareness messages on social media.
Combating invasive species like Parthenium hysterophorus and mesquite trees (Prosopis juliflora), which threaten native vegetation and biodiversity.
Pest control efforts targeting harmful insects such as stem borers and termites that damage trees including baobab, wild figs (Ficus sycomorus), wild olives (Olea europaea) and frankincense (Boswellia sacra).
Pruning and maintenance of perennial trees in cooperation with relevant agencies.
The Society has also praised efforts to prohibit vehicle entry into green spaces and establish designated parking areas along roadsides.
Vegetation is the backbone of ecological systems, stabilising soil against erosion, enriching it, purifying the air, absorbing carbon dioxide, and producing oxygen. It also plays a key role in moderating temperatures, promoting rainfall through transpiration and shielding the Earth’s surface from excessive heat.
Despite active measures by the Municipality, Environment Authority, police and conservation groups, the phenomenon of vehicle-induced damage persists - sometimes due to ignorance, lack of enforcement, or deliberate violations.
As khareef season returns, community involvement is crucial. Highlighting these issues is not meant to generalise or blame all visitors, but to encourage a deeper sense of responsibility and shared stewardship for Dhofar’s green treasures.
Protecting nature - especially vegetation - has become an urgent priority that requires collective effort.
The benefits of preserving these green landscapes are universal, especially during khareef, when Dhofar transforms into one of the most verdant and captivating regions in the Arabian Peninsula. Adorned with a lush green blanket, the governorate draws thousands of visitors from within Oman and abroad.
Dhofar Governorate alone is home to 900 species, representing 64 per cent of Oman’s total flora.
These plants flourish in areas blessed by seasonal rains, making the governorate especially attractive during khareef season.
In response, the Dhofar Municipality has launched a project to protect these vital green spaces from uncontrolled vehicle traffic. This initiative underscores the Municipality’s commitment to preserving one of the governorate’s most important natural assets - its vegetation cover that spans mountains, plains and popular tourist spots.
However, increased tourism and the widespread use of private vehicles in natural areas have given rise to serious threats. Irregular vehicle movements crush plants, damage root systems and disturb the soil structure, reducing its capacity to retain water and air-essential elements for plant growth. Over time, this leads to gradual vegetation loss, eventually transforming once-green areas into barren lands.
The Nature Conservation Society, operating under the Environment Authority, has stepped up efforts to address this issue through an ‘Awareness Initiative.’
Key elements of this initiative include:
Cooperation with authorities such as the Environment Authority, Dhofar Municipality, and Royal Oman Police to close dirt roads before khareef season begins.
Educational outreach to residents and visitors on the importance of protecting green spaces. This involves distributing brochures, conducting biodiversity lectures and sharing multilingual awareness messages on social media.
Combating invasive species like Parthenium hysterophorus and mesquite trees (Prosopis juliflora), which threaten native vegetation and biodiversity.
Pest control efforts targeting harmful insects such as stem borers and termites that damage trees including baobab, wild figs (Ficus sycomorus), wild olives (Olea europaea) and frankincense (Boswellia sacra).
Pruning and maintenance of perennial trees in cooperation with relevant agencies.
The Society has also praised efforts to prohibit vehicle entry into green spaces and establish designated parking areas along roadsides.
Vegetation is the backbone of ecological systems, stabilising soil against erosion, enriching it, purifying the air, absorbing carbon dioxide, and producing oxygen. It also plays a key role in moderating temperatures, promoting rainfall through transpiration and shielding the Earth’s surface from excessive heat.
Despite active measures by the Municipality, Environment Authority, police and conservation groups, the phenomenon of vehicle-induced damage persists - sometimes due to ignorance, lack of enforcement, or deliberate violations.
As khareef season returns, community involvement is crucial. Highlighting these issues is not meant to generalise or blame all visitors, but to encourage a deeper sense of responsibility and shared stewardship for Dhofar’s green treasures.