UAE President orders expansion of protected natural areas in Abu Dhabi

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered the expansion of nature reserves in Abu Dhabi to cover 20 per cent of the emirate’s total land area.

The move adds over 4,500 square kilometres of new reserves, bringing the total number of protected sites to 26 — both land and marine — under the Zayed Protected Areas Network.

The reserves will be managed by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.

This major step aligns with the UAE’s environmental goals and coincides with the IUCN World Conservation Congress, which the country is hosting for the first time in the region.

New designations include three terrestrial reserves: Al Wathba Fossil Dunes Reserve, Liwa Groundwater Reservoir Reserve and Ghaf Natural Reserve.

The Qasr Al Sarab Reserve and the Ras Ghanada Marine Reserve will be expanded, while two new marine reserves will be established: Abu Al Abyad Marine Reserve and Sir Bani Yas and Desert Islands Marine Reserve.

The UAE President has directed expanding the area covered by the emirate’s nature reserves to 22,821 km2, increasing the Zayed Network of Nature Reserves to 26 sites, safeguarding ecosystems and supporting the National Biodiversity Strategy 2031. pic.twitter.com/omYibyBj81

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) October 15, 2025