Forever Green- Afforestation Campaign

The Forever Green campaign is a national campaign for tree plantation and greening, as well as for the sustained development and restoration of the agriculture sector in Bahrain¹. It aims to double the number of trees and quadruple the number of mangroves in Bahrain by 2035, in alignment with the country’s goals to achieve zero neutrality by 2060². The project focuses on planting large evergreen trees that are well-suited to Bahrain’s climate, ensuring responsible water usage.

With a total cost of $1.32 million, the campaign covers 10 zones in the Southern Governorate, 6 in the Northern Governorate, 6 in Muharraq, and one in the Capital Governorate, primarily in Manama³. It was initiated in October 2021 and is currently in its third phase.

In the first phase, 27 sites were targeted for intervention, covering a total area of 73,000 square meters with a cost of approximately $700,000, funded by the private sector⁴. Approximately 49,000 trees and shrubs were planted, with half of them in partnership with municipalities⁵.

Following the popularity of the first phase of the campaign, the second phase which began in 2022 experienced a 26% increase in the number of intervention sites⁶. These sites include parks, walkways, public transport stations, health centers, schools, car parks, coasts, and streets⁷. Over 50,000 trees and shrubs were planted in phase 2, covering a total area of 13,589 square meters across four governorates of Bahrain at a cost of $471,000⁸.

In the city of Manama itself, five sites are part of the Forever Green Campaign. The interventions include greening of large public spaces, tree-lining of boulevards, as well as afforestation in commercial spaces. One of these sites, the Al Fateh corniche, underwent a “landscape makeover” in 2022, with support from the Gulf International Bank (GIB)⁹. 180 poinciana, acacia, neem, ficus, and jatropha trees were planted at the eastern part of the corniche¹⁰.

Another intervention in Manama, comprising of plantation and greening at Al Farouq junction was completed in 2022 in collaboration with the Supreme Council for the Environment. It involved the installation of an automatic irrigation network, water fountains, as well as approximately 800 trees and 1,500 evergreen plants¹¹. The aim of this intervention was to reduce temperatures and preserve local flora. Along the same principles, plantation was done along the Zallaq Highway and King Faisal Highway, with support from the Bahrain National Gas Company and the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait¹².

Afforestation of the Central Market was carried out in collaboration with the Bahrain Association of Banks, at a total cost of $55,600¹³. The municipality specifically selected trees with large canopies for shade and protection against dust and sand storms¹⁴.

In addition to collaborating with the corporate sector, the Forever Green campaign worked with academic institutions such as Al Hekma International School for the greening of the Umm Al Hassam walkway. With the support of SGS Bahrain, 23 hibiscus and 22 neem trees were planted along the walkway, specifically targeted to provide comfort for children and the elderly¹⁵.

The leading entity of the project is the National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD), in cooperation with the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs, and Urban Planning, and the Supreme Council for Environment. However, through its multiple interventions, the campaign encourages collaboration between municipalities, private sector firms, and non-profit organizations¹⁶. By the end of 2022, the campaign crossed its target of planting 140,000 trees across the country. The campaign is ongoing, with the next phase taking place in 2023-2024.