RIYADH — About 92,000 trees will be planted in the Qurtubah neighborhood, which is the 5th residential neighborhood that is included in Green Riyadh projects. The project in Qurtubah neighborhood will also include 34 gardens, the afforestation of 4 schools, 56 mosques and 9 locations for parking lots, in addition to the afforestation of 44 kilometers of streets and walkways. The Green Riyadh program is one of the biggest urban afforestation projects in the world, and one of the 4 major Riyadh projects, which aim to achieve the objectives of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. Green Riyadh comes as a supportive move for raising the classification of Riyadh among its counterparts from the world's cities, and aims to make it one of the best cities to live in through increasing the economic value and the investments opportunities. Green Riyadh would also stimulate the participation of the private sector, in addition to contributing to improving the life's quality through establishing an open area which encourages outdoor activities that would improve public health, as well as enhance the practice of walking, performing sports and many more. The program aims to plant 7.5 million trees, establish a 100% renewable water network, and increase the vegetation cover to 9.1% of Riyadh's area. It will also increase the per capita green area from 1.7 square meters to 28 square meters, equivalent to 16 times. Green Riyadh aims to conduct afforestation on 120 residential neighborhoods in 2023, as it has set designs for the afforestation that are based on international standards that take into account the local environment. This will also include the implementation of residential neighborhood gardens, the afforestation of schools, mosques, streets and walkways, in addition to the afforestation of parking lots, government buildings, and much more. The project has already included the start of the afforestation of 4 neighborhoods in Riyadh, which are the Al-Naseem, Al-Aziziyah, Al-Jazirah and Al-Uraija. It has planted 241,000 trees and shrubs, as well as the afforestation of 61 schools, 121 mosques, 78 locations for parking lots, in addition to 176 kilometers from the roads and walkways in Al-Aziziyah neighborhood. Green Riyadh has also planted more than 39,000 trees and shrubs, prepared 11 gardens, conducted the afforestation of 37 mosques, 14 schools and 36 kilometers from the roads and walkways in Al-Jazirah neighborhood. As for Al-Uraija, Green Riyadh has planted more than 110,000 trees and shrubs, prepared 30 new gardens, conducted the afforestation of 19 mosques, 46 schools, 70 locations for parking lots, and 37 kilometers from the neighborhood's roads and walkways.
