WADI BANI KHALID: The Environment Authority in Al Sharqiyah North Governorate organised a seminar titled ‘Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge’.
The seminar aimed to underscore the importance of wetlands as vital ecosystems that support biodiversity and contribute to the sustainability of natural resources, while also focusing on the role of traditional knowledge and inherited community practices in protecting and preserving the environment to ensure its continuity.
Three working papers on environmental topics were presented during the seminar. The first paper, titled ‘Wetlands in the Sultanate of Oman: Their Environmental Importance and Role in Sustaining Biodiversity,’ was presented by Sami bin Hamad al Rahbi, Head of the Environmental Monitoring Department.
The second paper, titled ‘Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge,’ was presented by Saleh bin Obaid al Hajri, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in Wadi Bani Khalid.
He discussed the concept of wetlands, their types and characteristics, and the importance of traditional knowledge in their management and preservation.
The third paper, titled ‘Tourism Development in Wetlands,’ was presented by Mohammed bin Saif al Riyami, Head of the Tourism Development Department at the Heritage and Tourism Directorate in Al Sharqiyah North Governorate.
He addressed opportunities for sustainable tourism development in wetlands and the importance of balancing economic benefits with the preservation of the environmental characteristics of these sites.
The seminar was held under the auspices of Shaikh Mohammed bin Ahmed al Junaibi, Wali of Wadi Bani Khalid, and was attended by a number of heads of government departments in the Wilayat of Wadi Bani Khalid. – ONA
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