Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Green Riyadh Program, one of four mega projects in the Saudi capital, kicked off in Al-Uraija on Thursday with afforestation work in the city neighborhood.

This comes as a continuation of the tree-planting schemes in residential neighborhoods of the city within the framework of the Green Riyadh project. Al-Uraija is the fourth residential area to witness the beginning of the project.

The implementation contracts have already been signed for the neighborhoods of Qurtubah, Al-Ghadir and Al-Nakheelm where greening works are expected to start soon.

At an event organized in Al-Uraija, details of the afforestation program in the neighborhood were explained. The event was designed as an interactive journey for the visitor, and includes information about the stages that the project will go through until completion.

The event showed the residents how the afforestation project will reshape their neighborhood.

Landscaping will start in Al-Uraija by planting 110,000 trees in 30 gardens, 19 schools, 46 mosques, and 70 parking spaces, in addition to planting of 37 km of roads and paths.

The program targets afforestation of more than 120 residential neighborhoods. The designs for afforestation work have been developed based on international standards that took into account the local environment.