GLAND — The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has announced the inclusion of the Farasan Islands Reserve, managed by the National Center for Wildlife Development, in the Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, recognizing sites that meet international standards for effective and equitable management. The international recognition crowns the reserve’s success in implementing sound governance practices, adopting planning and management approaches based on best scientific standards, and engaging local communities in conservation programs. **media[2677720]** The Green List evaluates protected areas based on four key pillars: governance, integrated planning, management effectiveness, and achieving tangible conservation results. The CEO of the National Center for Wildlife Development, Dr. Mohammed Ali Qurban, said the listing reflects the strong support the environmental sector receives from the Kingdom’s leadership and demonstrates Saudi Arabia’s commitment to protecting its marine and terrestrial ecosystems while strengthening its presence in global environmental indicators. He noted that the achievement highlights the reserve’s exceptional value and its alignment with the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative and the National Environmental Strategy, which aim to protect 30 percent of the Kingdom’s terrestrial and marine areas by 2030. Beyond symbolic recognition, the listing carries strategic importance as it opens wider opportunities to attract environmental investment and international funding for scientific research, while placing the islands on the global ecotourism map as a natural destination committed to the highest sustainability standards. The Farasan Islands Reserve, one of the Kingdom’s most significant marine reserves, spans 5,657 square kilometers. Its archipelago includes more than 266 coral islands, home to rich biodiversity including 180 plant species, 150 bird species, and 230 fish species. **media[2677718]** The reserve is also a natural habitat for the Farasan gazelle and mangrove forests, serving as a sanctuary for endangered species such as sea turtles and dugongs, and hosting notable historical and cultural sites. With this recognition, the Farasan Islands Reserve joins other Saudi protected areas listed on the IUCN Green List, reinforcing the Kingdom’s growing role in sustainable environmental management. The achievement adds to the reserve’s international recognition, following its inclusion in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and its early membership in UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, strengthening its status as a national model where rich biodiversity meets the highest global sustainability standards.
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