The Ministry of Sports and Youth, represented by Al Rayyan Club, in cooperation with the Friends of the Environment Center (FEC), organized an educational seminar on wild plants in Qatar under the slogan “Natural Heritage and Social Responsibility,” to introduce the importance of wild plants in Qatar and their role in preserving biodiversity and the local environment.

The seminar hosted environmental activist and researcher Mr. Ali Talib Al Hanzab, founder and owner of the Ali Al Hanzab Tree Planting and Combating Desertification Initiative, to speak to a group of youth (ages 12 to 17) about the importance, types, and benefits of wild plants.

The seminar included the participation of the youth in planting and watering some plants, where they were taught how to place seeds in the soil, how to water them, the importance of exposing them to sunlight, and how to care for them until they grow.

During the educational lecture he delivered at the seminar, Mr. Ali Al Hanzab revealed that there are 450 wild plant species in Qatar, which have been recorded by researchers at Qatar University across various areas of the country.

He noted that there are medicinal plants among the wild plants, warning against using them without consulting the relevant authorities, such as the Ministry of Public Health, or elderly people who are familiar with their properties and risks.

He stressed that there are poisonous wild plants that individuals should neither smell nor touch, noting that some of these plants cause severe harm to those who touch them.

Regarding the areas where plants are found in Qatar, he explained that each plant has its own specific environment. Some are found in mountains, some in valleys, and others along the coast.

He said: “There are plants that only grow along saline coasts, such as Mangroves, Tetraena qatarensis, Saltbush, and some types of Salt-Tolerant Plants, which are found only along the seashore.”

He added: “There are species that only grow in Rawdat, such as Acacia Tortilis, Lycium Shawli, and Acacia Ehrenbergiana. There are also species that only grow in sandy environments, such as Haloxylon Persicum, Haloxylon Salicornicum, Calligonum Comosum, Salt-Tolerant Plants, and grasses such as Cymbopogon Commutatus.”

He noted that mountain plants differ from clay-soil plants, explaining that there are spring plants that only appear during the spring season and then disappear, and can only be found in Rawdat or in the sand. Most of them are flowers, such as Sorbus Aucuparia, Daisies, and other flowers and plants whose lifespan does not exceed four months.

He discussed Helianthemum Kahiricum and Terfezia and their benefits, explaining that Terfezia cannot be cultivated because it has neither seeds nor roots, whereas Helianthemum Kahiricum can be cultivated, after which Terfezia grows beside it.

He stressed that Terfezia is a Truffle and has numerous health benefits, noting that an authentic hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, states: “Truffles are from the manna, and their water is a cure for the eye.”

He explained that one of the conditions for cultivating Helianthemum Kahiricum is that the land must be virgin land that has not been plowed and must be free of fertilizers and desalinated water. He noted that after three years of planting Helianthemum Kahiricum in land meeting these specifications, Terfezia grows, by the will of God, beside Helianthemum Kahiricum without any human intervention.

He stressed that Helianthemum Kahiricum cannot grow in saline soil, as it requires soft, virgin soil.

He explained that the purpose of participating in this seminar with the youth at the clubs is to have among them an environmental advocate who carries the torch and is committed to serving as an ambassador for the environment in the local community.

He said: “Today, we are focused on educating people about the importance of wild plants and their uses in cosmetics, combating desertification, absorbing carbon from the atmosphere, and increasing the percentage of pure oxygen.”

He added: “These objectives can only be achieved if everyone—whether a citizen, resident, or visitor to the country—understands that this plant cannot be preserved by one individual alone. Rather, everyone must preserve it: the Bedouin in his tent, the investor at his facility, and the official responsible for infrastructure projects, whether external roads or buildings.”

He continued: “The more we regard this wild plant as a red line, the more these efforts will bear fruit and create a positive impact on Qatar’s environment.”

He stressed the need for investors to take environmental preservation into consideration and avoid harming the environment, explaining that Qatar encourages investment while at the same time ensuring that the environment is not harmed and calling for its preservation.

Al Hanzab began his talk by introducing his Tree Planting and Combating Desertification Initiative, which was launched in 2019 with the aim of combating desertification and creating a suitable environment for wild plants, before later turning its attention to educating children and young people in schools, youth centers, and sports clubs.