Any human intervention in nature, be it a developmental project, often causes the disappearance of many small but sensitive creatures and plants. To minimize the environmental degradation caused by human intervention and other factors, EAD(The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi)  launched an ambitious project called "The Habitat Mapping Project" for Abu Dhabi (UAE's capital). This project would be very helpful in protecting flora and fauna and  reducing the adverse human impact on fragile ecosystems.

The project covering the entire emirate - 59,640 square kilometres of terrestrial environments and 28,220 square kilometres of marine environments would accurately document the habitats of all flora and fauna.

Sixteen million trees in forest areas managed by the Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi (EAD) will have their exact details entered in a database. So far about four million trees have already been given individual IDs on the database and the project is progressing now.

Abu Dhabi has a rich biodiversity with 793 terrestrial and marine animal species, of which 46 are threatened. Of 414 plant species in the emirate, nine are threatened.

It is so heartening to know that  EAD has started using the maps in its daily operations like issuing permits to any projects that may have implications for the environment.

The habitat database helps in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS) of all projects with greater accuracy. The database promises 85 to 95 per cent accuracy and was used in the EIS of the Etihad Rail project in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.

The habitat mapping project uses state-of-the art satellite processing technologies providing terrestrial and marine mapping that will also act as a fundamental data layer for all future planning and decision-making.

As the emirate follows sustainable development principles, the database will further strengthen environmental conservation.

The project started in January 2013 is expected to be completed by December 2014. The first phase covering over 70 per cent of the project area has been completed.

Habitat mapping allows for comparisons of ecosystems that have been successfully preserved, gained or lost . The project also allows for better urban and conservation planning like preventive measures to minimise desertification.

The habitat maps help quantify desertification and exactly identify the affected areas, which help formulate preventive measures like building natural fencing and controlling overgrazing.

The maps can also support food security initiatives by helping identify areas with more groundwater where new farms can be developed. 

"The Habitat Mapping Project"  aims to identify the health status and type of species of trees and  document all fauna and flora across the emirate with the help of state-of-the art satellite mapping technologies.  This is in line with UAE's environmental vision to increase the green cover in the country .

The database in general and individual identity of trees in particular will help identify the healthy trees when Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS) studies are done for various projects.

Extra care could be taken to spare healthy trees when implementing developmental projects if accurate data is available to authorities.

References :

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/abu-dhabi-s-blueprint-for-a-greener-future-1.1381153

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/abu-dhabi-habitat-database-to-tag-16m-trees-1.1381105

Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi 2012 report.