Maybe it’s the spirit of Nagoya, but the Global Arab Network is announcing that
the State Ministry for Environment Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, the United Nations Development Program and the local committees of the villages of Abdulaziz Mountain reserve signed on Tuesday three agreements for establishing development projects…
The aim?
…serving national communities in Abdulaziz Mountain area and reducing the effect of human activity on biodiversity in it, in addition to supporting the joint administration of the reserve’s resources among the various relevant establishments and organizing the management of the grants provided to local committees.
The Jabal Abdul Aziz protected area is in northeastern Syria, where the vegetation “represent[s] the nearest living examples to Neolithic sites along the Euphrates.”
The area clearly has eco-tourism potential. It’s also got crop wild relatives and other plant genetic resources:
The site includes a number of species that have an economical and ecological importance. Of these we mention:
(1) Genetic resources of fruit trees, Of these are: Pistacia atlantica, Pistacia khunjuk, and Amygdalus orientalis
(2) Excellent protein rich forage species. Of these we may mention Atriplex leucloda, Avena barbata, Dactylis glomerata, Salsola villosa, Stipa barbata, Aegilops spp., and Vicia spp.
(3) Medicinal plants are present in prosperous populations. Some of these species are: Thymus syriacus, Artemisia herba-alba, Capparis spinosa, Teucrium polinum, Achillea spp., Ziziphora spp.
(4) Ornamental species adapted to dry zone such as Gladiolus aleppicus, Ixiolirion tataricum and Tulipa montana are found too.
But will it be managed in such a way as to maintain these species?