Sweida badia embraces 5 pastoral reserve

The Badia (semi-desert) constitutes a significant part of Sweida Province as it expands over an area of 116,484 hectares or 20% of Sweida total area. Sweida Badia is distinguished by its rugged land covered with stones and the perennial trees and annual plants. Director of Badia Development Project, Eng. Riyad Shuheib said that the plants of Badia are divided into two parts, the first of which has a huge nutritional value while the second has a low nutritional value. He added that all possible measures have been taken over the past few years to protect the plants in the Badia from deteriorating. Special committees were also formed to prevent the overgrazing and to establish a nursery for producing pastoral saplings that endure drought with the aim of developing the vegetation, he indicated. Other projects have been also carried out for protecting Sweida Badia such as planting 71,167 pastoral saplings, and the project of planting pastoral saplings in four forests. The projects also dedicate courses for developing the local citizens of the Badia such as eliminating illiteracy courses, and other courses on the importance of vegetation and means of protecting it. Five pastoral reserves have been also established in the Badia including 'al-Asfar' Reserve which was established in 1983 at the northern side of Sweida Province over an area of 11,000 hectares, and it is planted with pastoral plants which expand over an area of 900 hectares. The second reserve is 'al-Ora' which was established in 1990 to the north of Sweida over an area of 4,500 hectares while the planted area in it is estimated at 750 hectares. The third reserve is 'al-Hardieh' which was established in 2002 to southeastern side of Sweida over an area of 4,000 hectares and the planted area constitutes 290 hectares. 'Al-Rusa'ai Reserve was established in 2002 to the east of Sweida and it expands over an area of 4,000 hectares and the planted area in it is estimated at 150 hectares. The fifth reserve is 'Souh al-Na'am'. It was constructed to the east of Sweida in 2003 over an area of 4,000 hectares.