Uruq Bani Ma‘arid lies at the western edge of Ar-Rub‘ al-Khali, the Empty Quarter in southern Arabia, which is renowned as the largest continuous sand sea on Earth. More than any other site, this hyper-arid desert represents the iconic wilderness of Arabia. It is also the only major tropical sand desert of Asia. The reserve conserves one of the Earth’s most spectacular desert landscapes with a wide variety of wildlife habitats. With one of the world’s largest longitudinal sand dune systems overlying a dissected limestone plateau, and the southern end of the Tuwayq Escarpment with its vegetated wadis, gravel plains, and interdune corridors, it harbors greater biological diversity than any other part of the Empty Quarter and compares favorably with similar hyper-arid environments across the globe.
The gradient of natural habitats embraced within the protected area forms the building blocks of a functioning ecological network of patterns and processes supporting the survival and viability of key plant and animal species of global importance, specifically those representing successful cases of reintroduction after decades of extinction in the wild. The area exemplifies an outstanding case where a vast representation of the evolving Ar-Rub‘ al-Khali ecosystem type is interwoven with the older Tuwayq Escarpment ecosystem type in an interpenetrating configuration, at the edge of one of the world’s most arid deserts. Where the dynamic sand dunes witness the process of species adaptation to extreme physical environments, the more stable escarpment provides the sporadic refuge needed for the survival of these species to continue free ranging in natural habitats. ‘Uruq Bani Ma‘arid is the last place where Arabian Oryx were observed in the wild in the mid to late 1970s, and it is now the focus of an intensive and successful reintroduction program for Arabian Oryx and other keynote mammals, the Arabian Sand Gazelle, and the Arabian Mountain Gazelle.
Conservation
1. The ecosystems within the protected area remain largely intact.
2. The large mammalian populations are well protected; the rates of illegal killing are very low and with the implementation of the management plan, they are expected to drop even further.
3. Clean up operations – in the protected area and the buffer zone.
Good governance
1. Moving towards creation of the National Committee for Protected Areas; this is a committee that that will enable the establishment, and management and operation of protected areas across the Kingdom. It will bring together the key stakeholders to ensure understanding and include these key stakeholders in making decisions that are relevant to the protected area estate in the Kingdom.
2. NCW is moving towards developing the Standard for Protected Areas for the Kingdom; this includes important aspects regarding equitable governance, management, and operation of protected areas.
3. Creation of the advisory committee at the site level. The UBM PA is the second protected area from NCW sites to create an advisory committee at the site level, which is inclusive of local authorities and communities.
Community benefits
1. The inclusion of local authorities and communities onto the protected area’s advisory committee (as described above; the second for the Kingdom)
2. A significant part of the protected area is open to access and use of natural resources – most specifically for domestic livestock and transhumance.
3. Some economic impact from other visitation to the site. People visiting the area (which has increased since the inscription of the site as UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site) spend money in the local economy, primarily for services.
Uruq Bani Ma‘arid lies at the western edge of Ar-Rub‘ al-Khali, the Empty Quarter in southern Arabia, which is renowned as the largest continuous sand sea on Earth. More than any other site, this hyper-arid desert represents the iconic wilderness of Arabia. It is also the only major tropical sand desert of Asia. The reserve conserves one of the Earth’s most spectacular desert landscapes with a wide variety of wildlife habitats.
With one of the world’s largest longitudinal sand dune systems overlying a dissected limestone plateau, and the southern end of the Tuwayq Escarpment with its vegetated wadis, gravel plains, and interdune corridors, it harbors greater biological diversity than any other part of the Empty Quarter and compares favorably with similar hyper-arid environments across the globe.
The gradient of natural habitats embraced within the protected area forms the building blocks of a functioning ecological network of patterns and processes supporting the survival and viability of key plant and animal species of global importance, specifically those representing successful cases of reintroduction after decades of extinction in the wild. The area exemplifies an outstanding case where a vast representation of the evolving Ar-Rub‘ al-Khali ecosystem type is interwoven with the older Tuwayq Escarpment ecosystem type in an interpenetrating configuration, at the edge of one of the world’s most arid deserts. Where the dynamic sand dunes witness the process of species adaptation to extreme physical environments, the more stable escarpment provides the sporadic refuge needed for the survival of these species to continue free ranging in natural habitats. ‘Uruq Bani Ma‘arid is the last place where Arabian Oryx were observed in the wild in the mid to late 1970s, and it is now the focus of an intensive and successful reintroduction program for Arabian Oryx and other keynote mammals, the Arabian Sand Gazelle, and the Arabian Mountain Gazelle.
This EAGL Summary is based on the COMPASS-application indicator and Means of Verification (MoVs) and the EAGL observation from the site visit that included meetings with different categories of local community stakeholders, experts, managers, and employees. The site has provided, on COMPASS, all the needed information and data related to the site values.
The ‘Uruq Bani Ma’arid (UBM) s located at the western end of the largest continuous stretch of sand on earth known as the “Ar-Rub‘ al-Khali” the Empty Quarter. The site is a hyper-arid desert represents an iconic Arabian wilderness area and preserves one of the most spectacular desert landscapes on earth where wildlife finds a great diversity of habitats.
Governance structure is defined and implemented in accordance with the national and local authorities.
The site has a clearly defined zoning plan which addresses use and access in line with the fragility of ecological zones. It also has a well-defined organizational structure with clear job descriptions for each function and a well-established HR framework and operational plan. As for gender, it is still at its beginning fledging at the site to recruit its rangers, but this gender equity is well-advanced in NCW (the site overall managing authority), which is expected to consequently cascade to the site. The site has the necessary financial resources to implement its plans and is employing them in a structured way, based on a sound designing and planning. The EAGL visiting members were able to see appropriate infrastructure and equipment that serve all purposes.
As for the ecosystem services and how they benefit the local communities, the work is based on a socio-economic account that is aligned with the NCW’s mission which seeks to maximize social and economic benefits. There are plans to increase those benefits by 2030 (as per the Kingdom Green Vision 2030) which will lead to hundreds of new employment opportunities. Natural and cultural values are well defined, based on a thorough understanding of the context. They are efficiently monitored. All is included in the NECO table that is included in the Assessment Report and in the MoVs on COMPASS. The management has developed a comprehensive research assessment and ongoing monitoring program. A standard operating procedure (SOPs) is implemented on the site clarifying the planning process. A report on the positive trends in the number of targeted species confirms that management is on track.
The site uses adaptive management following monthly and quarterly progress reports, biodiversity census and monitoring reports, and researchers’ recommendations through the dedicated surveys in the area, in addition to feedback from the consultation with partners and stakeholders. It is important to highlight the interest of the site in its cultural heritage whereby its boundary (through its adjacent FAW cultural heritage site) which has been declared a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site, and these have close working relations.
