Ronald Loughland, presently working with the Emirates Heritage Club, said preserving environmental, heritage and social resources amidst the developments around Al Simaliyya, required further efforts.

Citing the water canal linking Al Raha beach and Zayed Seaport as an example, Loughland said the canal could affect the sea environment as well as the wild life sanctuary, once the construction projects in the area are completed.

According to him, the road that links the island to the mainland will be surrounded by development projects from three sides, and would thus lead to the deterioration of environmental diversity in the island and its water.

"Earth filling operations in the sea would damage sealife and weeds, creating an imbalance in the existing ecological system," he cautioned.

He said the use of natural material in earth filling would cause damage to the area, and eventually affect the quality of water. The presence of the large number of drilling, earth-moving machines and trucks as well as workers would cause the living creatures to abandon the area, he said, adding that the setting up of water sport facilities near the island would also result in major changes in its ecological structure in the long range.

"The island serves as a haven for preserving heritage and natural habitat, and the construction and building activities would make ecologists double minded," Loughland noted.

He expressed regret that while 70 to 80 per cent of a wooden passageway had been constructed with the aim of preserving  heritage, skyscrapers coming up just opposite the facility would destroy the very purpose of the island.

Loughland called upon all bodies concerned for concerted efforts and cooperation to conserve what was achieved in the past 10 years, in terms of sustainable environment, emphasising on the importance of fauna-rich area that is only 12 km off Abu Dhabi.