Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The ambitious "Green Riyadh" program has officially kicked off its greening efforts in the Al-Nakheel neighborhood, marking it the seventh residential area in Riyadh to undergo a transformation after the successful greening of Al-Aziziyah, Al-Naseem, Al-Jazeera, Al-Araija, Qurtuba, and Al-Ghadir.

Commencing on Thursday, the greening project in Al-Nakheel will introduce a lush landscape featuring 50,000 trees and shrubs. The development plan encompasses the creation of 17 neighborhood parks, four schools, 30 mosques, 14 parking lots, and the enhancement of 52 kilometers of streets and corridors.

As the community undergoes this green metamorphosis, an exhibition and various events have been organized to enlighten residents about the infrastructure development, project stages, duration, and the envisioned designs post-completion. The exhibition is scheduled to take place in Al-Nakheel neighborhood from October 5 to 14.

The Green Riyadh program, one of the four major projects in Riyadh, was initiated by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The program's objectives include planting over 7.5 million trees in Riyadh, increasing the city's green coverage to 9.1%, elevating the per capita share of green spaces from 1.7 m2 to 28 m2 (a 16-fold increase), and enhancing the urban environment by greening residential neighborhoods.

This initiative aligns with the Saudi Green Initiative's goals and contributes to the broader vision of Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to plant 10 billion trees within the Kingdom in the coming decades. The 'Green Riyadh' project stands as a testament to the commitment to sustainable development and environmental conservation within the city and the nation at large.