In response to the Kuwait Municipality's appeal to the Supreme Council for Planning to approve the conversion of Qaruh, Kubbar and Umm al-Maradim Islands into nature reserves, and coinciding with the global celebrations of “World Habitat Day,” which is celebrated on October 2nd of each year by ministries, environmental bodies and institutions, organizations and groups with environmental interest, regional and global cities and individuals with relevant initiatives,” the Kuwait Environment Protection Society, through its Chairperson Dr. Wajdan Al-Aqab, announced its support for this demand, which is consistent with many of the Society’s initiatives calling for the preservation of Kuwaiti islands and marine sites of environmental sensitivity as they are natural habitats that nurture rare or endangered living organisms, especially some migratory or resident birds, native plants and marine, shore and coastal organisms.
Dr. Al-Aqab considered that the efforts to convert the three islands are completely consistent with the previous successive attempts and demands of the Environmental Protection Association for the necessity of protecting those islands, their creatures and coasts, especially after the association’s specialized teams and committees observed years ago the erosion of the beaches and coasts of some of the islands and announced this at the time in all media outlets and sounded the alarm, asking, “Is it time to close the marine nature reserves?”.
Dr. Al-Aqab noted: “A habitat is defined as the place where living organisms live and feed, and it includes plants and animals that live in a specific geographical location, in addition to landscapes, natural scenery, cliffs, water, and so on.” She added, “It is worth noting the importance of a comprehensive study of the natural resources on the islands and their importance underpins integrated marine and coastal management to understand their quantitative and qualitative reality and their sensitivity to human uses and environmental changes. Moreover, coral islands are among the most important natural resources that the State of Kuwait enjoys. She emphasized that these magnificent islands receive visitors at a rate that may exceed their capacity and they are not fully equipped, despite the great efforts made by many volunteer teams and associations concerned with the marine environment through the installation of marine moorings over the years. Today, there is a need to assess the actual carrying capacity of the islands and move towards protecting them.”.
Dr. Wajdan Al-Aqab, President of the Environmental Protection Association, urged the Supreme Council for Planning to look with keen insight at the importance of transforming those islands and adopting them as nature reserves and managing them in a way that ensures the protection of their natural heritage. She also appealed to the relevant authorities in the country, starting with the General Authority for the Environment, to strive earnestly to approve the adoption of some sites and natural habitats in the country as geopark areas, such as Anjafa Beach, Dhala’ Al-Qurain, Al-Khiran, and others.
