Muscat: The 'Basmatna Gheer' volunteer team launched the 'Capture Nature' programme, targeting the Western Al Hajar Mountain Star Light Reserve to explore nature and promote ecotourism.
The attendees were a group of youth passionate about photography, drawing, and content creation.
According to the team, ecotourism is one of the most important sources of income diversification in Oman, as the country boasts stunning natural landscapes and rich biodiversity.
The two-day programme held on October 4 to 5, included activities such as stargazing, where participants had the chance to observe stars and planets in a clear, light-pollution-free sky.
Participants engaged in hands-on activities such as olive harvesting while learning about cultivation methods, as well as had the opportunity to attend a traditional pottery-making workshop.
Samia al Balushi, Basmtna Gheer member explained, “Tagging ancient trees helps in tracking their health and monitoring them regularly, which contributes to their protection from deterioration or unintended removal.”
She pointed out that it plays a role in raising awareness about the importance of preserving these rare and historical trees, while promoting environmental conservation through the placement of barcodes on each tree. Ancient trees can also serve as an attraction for ecotourism, as tagging provides valuable information about these trees to visitors and those interested.
The team feels the initiatives represent an important step toward promoting ecotourism in Oman and highlighting the beauty of the Omani landscape and its environmental diversity.
“Through cooperation between government agencies and volunteer organisations, a balance between tourism development and environmental conservation can be achieved, ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come,” the team stated.
Basmtna gheer is an environmental volunteer group that works on raising awareness about climate change efforts and advocates for grassroots action for the local community to achieve a sustainable future for youth.
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