RIYADH: High in the misty mountains of southwestern Saudi Arabia, the juniper tree — known locally as the “lady of trees” — has long stood as a quiet sentinel over the Kingdom’s highland ecosystems.
Revered for its resilience, ecological role, and cultural legacy, this ancient species is now the focus of a national conservation drive to reverse decades of environmental decline.
Juniper woodlands flourish between 2,500 and 3,000 meters above sea level in regions such as Taif, Al-Baha, and Asir.
These evergreen conifers, draped in needles and peppered with cones, are more than just picturesque. They are ecological relicts — living remnants of ancient Afromontane forests that once stretched across parts of Arabia.
“Juniper trees have created a unique microclimate in areas where arid and semi-arid ecosystems such as deserts, mountains, and high plains are prevailing,” Liubov Kobik, a junior environmental consultant at Terra Nexus, told Arab News.
