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Syrian Environment Association Completes Guide on Nature Reserves

- Jihad Taki

Monday, 06 September 2010 18:45

Syria (Damascus) – Natural reserves play an important role in preserving the genetic stock of plants and animals, representing a genetic bank and sanctuary protecting plant and animal species from the growing threat of extinction.

Due to the importance of reserves, the Syrian Environment Association (SEA) finished a guide on the plant life, which is the first part of a project for issuing a guide on Syrian nature reserves, with the second part involving a guide on animal life.

The plant guide documents various geographic locations including the coast, to the northeast, the desert and the central region, providing a rich database on reserves, relevant laws, the geo-environmental and social aspects of reserves, biodiversity and environmental tourism.

In a statement to SANA, SEA Member Samir Safadi said that the guide includes the plant life that grows naturally in mountains, forests and plains and documents all the vegetation found in reserves, noting that the finished guide will be over 1000 pages, containing around 400 photos and covering the locations, indigenous populations, plants, animals and birds of reserves.

Safadi pointed out that out of 20 reserves in Syria; eight were selected to be the subject of this guide, saying that the guide aims at informing people about the plants and animals of the reserves and the lives of local people, in addition to being a scientific reference for students, particularly in faculties of agriculture.

He added that the guide will also be made available to visitors of reserves.

The SEA is the first civil organization in Syria to assume the task of preparing a scientific guide the natural reserves of Syria. Its other projects include a center for environmental awareness and water studies, which will become a center for environmental activities and a training center located in the hear of the Old City in Damascus.

The center will have regular and electronic libraries, a greenhouse, labs, an auditorium, training areas, and a children area. The building will meet all environmental specifications and will harness solar and wind energies.

Other projects include renovating a park in the city of Aleppo to resemble an Andalusian garden in cooperation with Spanish associations and Aleppo Governorate, a cleaning campaigns in cooperation with the Swiss Embassy and the French School in Damascus, and several conferences and training courses.

The SEA's activities include an environmental contest on applied inventions for adapting to climate change, an environmental club for youths, rehabilitating drinking fountains in the Old City of Damascus in cooperation with the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ), and more.

Future projects include establishing environmental clubs in schools, managing medical waste, and preparing an environmental curriculum for children in cooperation with MASAR project, in addition to a project for recycling used batteries.

Since its establishment in 2001, the SEA carried out several successful programs and projects that received positive feedback, including a campaign to protect Barada River, a national cleaning campaign, forestation campaigns, exhibitions, and environmental awareness campaigns.

The SEA aims at preserving all elements of the environment in Syria through raising awareness and improving technical and environmental capabilities and of individuals and establishments in cooperation with relevant governmental and civil organizations.

It also aims at improving the aesthetic state of Syria, bolstering social participation through volunteer work, boosting partnership with local, regional and international parties working in the field of environment, and cooperating with relevant authorities in formulating legislations and laws.
(SANA)

Global Arab Network

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