The city of Madinah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has witnessed a staggering 360 percent increase in vegetation cover during the past five months from August to December 2023.
This came in a report released by the Saudi National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification on Saturday, January 13.
The increase in vegetation during this period is attributed to the rainy conditions, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
In August 2023, the total vegetation cover stood at 2,863.4 square kilometers, representing 1.9 percent of Madinah’s total area.
In December 2023, the vegetation area reached about 13,194.5 km, covering 8.7 percent of the total area of the region.
The Madinah region’s vegetation is predominantly found in mountainous areas whose height ranges between 1,000 meters to 1,300 meters in the west of the region, and in semi-flat sites in the east due to its unique soil characteristics.
This encompasses the governorates of Madina, AlUla, Al-Hanakiyah, Yanbu, Khaybar, Badr, Mahd Al-Dhahab, and Wadi Al-Fara.
The centre is using remote sensing and artificial intelligence to monitor vegetation status, land-cover changes, rainfall, and plant health to achieve afforestation project goals and the Saudi Green Initiative.
The centre protects Kingdom vegetation, studies green space variables, and prepares for drought, aiming to achieve Vision 2030 development goals. It works within national efforts to reduce desertification and drought effects.