Environmental protection to be highlighted at Sharjah conference

The mangroves in Abu Dhabi. The UAE has seven designated as Wetlands of International Importance. Fatima Al Marzooqi /The National

Environmental protection and conservation challenges of local biodiversity will be highlighted in the upcoming 19th Sharjah International Conservation Forum for Arabian Biodiversity.
With the participation of 200 experts, researchers, specialists and academics from around the world, the four-day forum will be launched on February 5 during which participants will share experience, ideas and expertise in order to enhance knowledge about local biodiversity and conservation challenges.
Organised by Sharjah's Environmental Protected Areas Authority (EPAA), the forum will focus on three main themes, including the Red List of plants in the Arabian Peninsula. The theme of protected areas will introduce the Global Standards of International Union for Conservation of Nature for the Identification of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) and the veterinary theme will discuss in-house diagnostics.

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"The first theme will be similar to the workshops on Red Lists carried out for reptiles in 2012, for birds in 2013, for mammals in 2016 and for trees in 2017," said Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, EPAA Chairperson. "It will provide up-to-date information on the main threats and recommendations for ways to preserve the plants."
She said that the veterinary theme is a continuation of the two previous topics.
"This year, a greater emphasis will be placed on physical fluid collections and assessment while studies will be used to highlight their use in veterinary groups," she said. "There will be a closer look at the use of drones in the conservation of biodiversity, including cartography, wildlife surveys, monitoring, law enforcement and medicine in the conservation of biodiversity."