The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change's (MoECC) Wildlife Development Department has organised the first coordination meeting to discuss the plan to combat the harmful Prosopis juliflora, a type of Ghaf tree (a kind of Mesquite) while striving to maintain and propagate Qatar's native Ghaf trees (Prosopis cineraria).
The initiative against Prosopis juliflora is in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality, Qatar University, and Exxon Mobil Research Centre Qatar. The meeting followed the presentation of a draft plan to combat the harmful Ghaf trees by the MoECC. The plan aims to identify and coordinate the roles that the participating entities can play, agree on a timeline to initiate the implementation of the plan to combat the harmful Ghaf trees in various areas of the country, and work towards removing them swiftly. This is considered crucial due to the severe environmental damage such trees cause and their threat to biodiversity in the country.
The MoECC has removed around 5,900 harmful Ghaf trees through an extensive campaign in several parks and wild areas in recent years. The species intrudes on the local environments due to their rapid spread and destructive impact. They consume groundwater in the regions where they proliferate and negatively affect the local plant diversity. Scientific studies have shown that Prosopis juliflora secrete chemicals inhibiting the growth of other plant species around them.
Qatar's native Ghaf trees (Prosopis cineraria) are of cultural and environmental importance and classified as endangered. It exists naturally in various lawns and wild areas in the country. The MoECC is conducting a survey and study of Qatar's Ghaf trees, identifying threats to this important native plant, and preserving its genetic origins through seeds and genetic material.
The MoECC also has a plan to cultivate Qatar's Ghaf trees in areas where harmful Ghaf trees are removed. The meeting concluded with important recommendations, including the formation of a technical team and the initiation of the combat plan in collaboration with various relevant entities in the country.
