RIYADH: Uruq Bani Ma’arid, one of Saudi Arabia’s most ecologically significant protected areas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been admitted to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas.
The recognition confirms the site’s global ecological importance and highlights the Kingdom’s growing leadership in conserving arid-land habitats, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia’s inclusion of Uruq Bani Ma’arid follows earlier Green List achievements, notably the Ibex Protected Area and the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve.
These milestones reflect sustained progress toward excellence in protected-area management, according to the SPA report.
Uruq Bani Ma’arid covers 12,765 sq. km at the western edge of the Empty Quarter — the world’s largest continuous sand desert — and harbors the greatest biodiversity in the region. In 2023, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its outstanding natural value.
