A field trip to learn and appreciate nature

Did you know that the Earth has lost more than half of its trees since humans first started axing them? We all love enjoying nature but fail to realise that if we don't assist in preserving nature, it may soon lead to us living in a barren planet. The scenery may be nothing, but gray ash scattered around.
With this objective in mind, six youngsters in the age group of 12-16 who are members of youth sustainability organisation Green Hope, orgainsed a field trip to Sir Baniyas Island, which is UAE's main protected reserve with an array of flora and fauna.
The students, under the supervision of their programme coordinator Swati Basu, after securing special permission from the authorities for visiting the island, left Dubai at 4.30am and reached the island after a five-hour journey.
Kehkashan Basu, founder president of Green Hope Foundation, said: "The conservation efforts on this island is a model for other regions to follow. We were lucky to learn first-hand about their ways of conservation on the island."
It was a day of amazing sights and insights for the young eco-warriors who learnt about the unique conservation efforts being undertaken on the island for several protected species such as the sea turtles, sand gazelles, Urial sheep, Barbary sheep and Arabian Oryx.
The group also planted mangroves at the island.
"Mangroves are extremely important to the ecosystem. They hold the soil, prevent soil erosion, act as a natural barrier against natural disasters, act like a filter during an oil spill and can survive toxic attacks. They are the feeding ground for several invertebrates and fish. Above the water, they are home to several bird species," she said.
"When we planned our trip, we told the island authorities that we are very passionate about planting mangroves. The conservation team on the island therefore organised a special mangroves planting session for us and it was an amazing experience to be able to plant mangroves in the lagoon of the island," Kehkashan added.
The island is a model of eco-balance with all its waste being treated sustainably using natural reed-beds.
The Green Hope team will now hold a series of awareness workshops amongst its members and volunteers across the region to promote the need for biodiversity conservation based on their learnings of the field trip.
saman@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Dubai