Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife (NCW) has initiated the Decade Land Expedition for Terrestrial Ecosystem Exploration, creating the Kingdom’s first terrestrial ecosystem database. The large-scale research program unites national universities, royal reserves, and international experts to survey every terrestrial ecosystem, cataloging endemic and endangered species while assessing threats to their survival.

The expedition will feed findings into a centralized database and produce interactive digital maps, offering an invaluable resource for scientists and policymakers. NCW CEO Dr. Mohammed Qurban emphasized the initiative’s role in advancing the Saudi Green Initiative and Vision 2030 goals, with a focus on ecosystem restoration and ecological balance. Building on prior marine biodiversity work in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, the project aims to become one of the region’s most comprehensive biodiversity references.

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Krishna Prasad/Fast Company Middle East