Last year, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Makhtoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, declared the locally-grown Ghaf tree as the official symbol of Year of  Tolerance.
What made this commonly-found species of trees in the region, a popular theme for an entire nation?
What makes these species so special, is their strong ability to survive in harsh climates in arid deserts, especially in the sand dunes through a unique method involving elongation of  roots immensely deep into the soil and hence, attaining access to sources of water that several other plants cannot reach .
This well-integrated system of roots, that can grow as deep as  30 meters, holds the earth under it in close association, hence making it a vital element in preventing and alleviating the detrimental effects of desertification. This in turn maintains environmentally- important desert ecosystems .

Apart from its environmental role, it has also played a pivotal role in the history of UAE as it provides  pods that is good for nutrition as well as its bark is crushed to prepare flour. It also has medicinal attributes by acting as a key source of resins and dyes while the bark can heal both septic wounds from animals such as snakes and scorpions as well as it cures rheumatism. In addition, the shade provided by these special trees also helped promote it as a type of shelter and hence, made it popular for organising several meetings within the Emirati community. The branches of the tree provided respite from the desert heat.
Hence, Ghaf not only symbolises sustainability in terms of the UAE’s environment but also has had a significant contribution in holding the Arab community together.