Jumeirah Golf Estates (JGE) is set to honour Sheikh Zayed’s vison of sustainable development through an extensive tree planting programme. As part of the UAE’s Year of Zayed celebrations across the country, JGE will be planting over 200 ghaf trees, the national tree of the UAE, across its two internationally-acclaimed championship golf courses.
A ceremony to celebrate the planning of the first ghaf tree took place on Saturday 14 April 2018 on the 18th Green of the Fire Course.
An indigenous species, specifically of the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia, the ghaf (Prosopis cineraria) is a drought-tolerant, evergreen tree and one of the sturdiest plants to be found in the world’s desert environment. In their natural habitat, many bird species nest on the Ghaf including desert eagle owl, brown-necked raven, yellow-throated sparrow and long-legged buzzard.
Jumeirah Golf Estates offers one of the largest habitats for wildlife in Dubai. With over 4,000 trees and 15 lakes it sees more than 340 species of native and migratory bird on an annual basis, making it the largest bird sanctuary in Dubai.
Yousuf Kazim, CEO of Jumeirah Golf Estates, said: “Jumeirah Golf Estates has truly embraced Sheikh Zayed’s vision to transform the desert into a green haven for a more sustainable UAE, and is honoured to be contributing to his nationwide message. The planting of the ghaf tree stands as a testament to JGE’s commitment to the UAE’s desire for a sustainable future”.