Environmental security forces in Riyadh and Mecca have uncovered violations including illegal firewood collection, camping, and land clearing
As part of the ongoing efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to protect its natural resources and promote environmental awareness, the Special Forces for Environmental Security their intensive field campaigns to apprehend violators of the environmental system in a number of regions of the Kingdom, resulting in the detection of several violations ranging from illegal logging and unlicensed camping to soil erosion.
Seizing illegal logging in King Khalid Reserve
Field patrols apprehended a citizen in violation of environmental regulations within the King Khalid Royal Reserve in the Riyadh region. He was found in possession of two cubic meters of locally sourced firewood. The necessary legal procedures were implemented against the violator, and the confiscated firewood was handed over to the relevant authorities.
These seizures come in the context of tightening control over vegetation cover, as the forces explained that the executive regulations of the environmental system impose strict penalties to protect local trees, noting that the penalty for using local firewood and charcoal in commercial activities requires a fine of up to (32,000) riyals per cubic meter, while the penalty for transporting, selling and storing local firewood and charcoal reaches a fine of (16,000) riyals per cubic meter.
Random camping in the King Abdulaziz Reserve
In a related incident, authorities detected another violation in the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve , where a citizen was apprehended for camping in unauthorized areas without the necessary permit. The authorities emphasized that the penalty for camping in forests or national parks without a permit is a fine of up to 3,000 riyals, in order to ensure the regulation of ecotourism and maintain the cleanliness and safety of protected areas.
Soil erosion in Mecca
In another development in the Makkah region, the Special Forces for Environmental Security apprehended two residents, one Indian and one Pakistani, for illegally extracting sediment and dredging soil using heavy equipment seized at the site. These practices pose environmental risks that threaten soil stability and alter the natural features of valleys and ravines.
The importance of environmental security and the Kingdom's Vision 2030
These efforts are of paramount importance within the framework of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and the "Green Saudi Arabia" initiative, which aims to combat desertification and increase vegetation cover. Royal reserves play a pivotal role in restoring biodiversity and protecting endangered wildlife, making adherence to environmental regulations a national duty that contributes to the sustainability of resources for future generations.
The Special Forces for Environmental Security called on all citizens and residents to cooperate and report any cases that constitute an attack on the environment or wildlife, by calling the number (911) in the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and the numbers (999) and (996) in the rest of the regions of the Kingdom, stressing that all reports are dealt with in complete confidentiality.
