Winter Camping Season to begin on Nov 1: MoECC

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) Tuesday said online registration for the annual Winter Camping Season for the year 2023-2024, for all regions of the country, will be open from Oct 22 to 31. The season is set to begin on Nov 1 and concludes on April 30, 2024.
During a press conference held on this occasion, the ministry explained that registration processes will take place in three separate stages, where the registration for the central regions will be from Oct 22-24, for the southern regions from Oct 25-27, while registration for the northern regions will be from Oct 28-31.
Director of Public Relations and Communications Department at the MoECC Mohamed Ahmed al-Dahi said that registration will be through the official website of the MoECC, provided that the permit holder must pay permit fees within six hours of receiving the text message confirming the approval of the application. Otherwise, the application is considered invalid and re-registeration will be required.
He reminded all campers and desert enthusiasts the importance of conserving the environment and safeguarding its natural resources. He stressed the significance of adhering to the conditions and regulations of the new camping season.
These regulations include compliance with designated coordinates for each camp and maintaining specific distances between camps, manors, farms, and villages.
He pointed out that ministry teams would actively monitor the implementation of these conditions throughout the day to ensure the success of the camping season while preserving the local environment without any adverse impact on local flora and fauna.
Furthermore, he announced that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change would establish an awareness camp in the "Sealine" area within the Khor Al Adaid Reserve. This camp will be dedicated to awareness and recreational activities. Additionally, several programmes and competitions will be organised, and prizes will be awarded to the best winter camp that promotes environmental conservation. About 2,000 saplings of various wild plants will be distributed, along with 2,000 seed packets containing plants such as " Ziziphus jujuba, Prosopis cineraria, Acacia tortilis, Lycium shawii, and Acacia ehrenbergiana". First aid kits will also be distributed to campsite owners.
For his part, Director of the Ministry's Natural Reserves Department Salem Hussein al-Safran explained that registration processes will take place through the ministry's website, through national documentation as well as by personal attendance according to the available places in the event that there are places that have not been reserved.
Al-Safran stated that the general conditions for the camping process were established to preserve the biological diversity in these areas of plants, animals and trees, noting that the ministry's follow-up to these requirements is not for the purpose of imposing penalties on violators, but to contribute to guidance and assistance in following instructions.
Head of the winter camping team at MoECC Fawzi al-Shammari said that a person's request to obtain the same camping site as the previous season is linked to the availability of the site and the priority of applying for it, if the permittee violates any of the ministry's conditions, the competent authority will have the right to remove the camp, noting the right of the MoECC to withdraw the environmental permit in the event of non-compliance with the aforementioned conditions.
Assistant Director of Traffic Awareness Department at the Ministry of Interior Colonel Jaber Mohamed Rashid Odaiba stressed the importance of adhering to security and safety conditions when transporting cabins and "caravans" and transporting them after eight in the evening, and using main roads and cars suitable for the size of the cabins to avoid any accidents.
He also advised on the need to maintain cabins and "caravans" and ensure their safety and readiness before the transport process, with the necessity of obtaining permission from the Patrol Department in the Maamoura area for large cabins to be transported under the supervision of the Traffic Department to achieve the required safety on the road.
He called on the owners of motorcycle rental companies and shops to provide security and safety conditions, for the rented bike to be appropriate to the age of the renter, and to provide security requirements such as helmets and traffic lights, noting that the Ministry of the Interior will monitor any dangerous behaviour of visitors and will provide the necessary awareness to the camps and their owners.