Saturday 27 / September / 2025
Beijing: The Sultanate of Oman has managed to incorporate the reserves of Jabal Akhdar Natural Landscape Reserve and Al Sareen Nature Reserve in the UNESCO’s World Network of Man and Biodiversity Reserves (WNBR) as two new reserves.
The two reserves joining the WNBR was announced during the 37th Session of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB-ICC), held in Lin’an, Hangzhou in China.
The incorporation of the two reserves is a result of the cooperation between the Environment Authority and Oman National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, which cooperation comes within the framework of boosting integration between the environment protection, the society development and the support of Oman’s efforts aimed to achieve the targets of Oman Vision 2040.
This announcement, which is the first of its kind for Oman, registers Oman into a global network of 759 reserves across 136 countries that serve as living laboratories for sustainable development.
Jabal Akhdar Reserve, roughly covers 4,500 hectares in the Western Hajar Mountains, with areas ranging between 600 to 2,980 metres above the sea level.
The reserve is classified as a Key Biodiversity Area, with 60% of Oman’s vascular plants and over 71 bird species, including the Egyptian vulture and the golden eagle.
Al Sareen Nature Reserve covers an area of 103,888 hectares and is classified as a reserve of Second Category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
This reserve accommodates over 400 plant species, including 10 endemic and 4 endangered varieties besides being home to Arabian gazelle, red and blue foxes, reptiles and several bird species.
Al Sareen reserve has a significant cultural and historical value, with rock carvings dating back to pre-Islamic time.
The incorporation of the two reserves reaffirms the Sultanate’s commitment to the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), notably Target 3, related to the protection of 30% of land and sea areas by 2030.
