As part of ongoing efforts to protect natural resources and maintain ecological balance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Special Forces for Environmental Security were able to detect a number of violations of the environmental system in various regions, including overgrazing, transporting local firewood, and lighting fires in places not designated for them.
In detail, authorities apprehended a citizen for violating environmental regulations by grazing 36 camels in prohibited areas within the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve. The necessary legal procedures were applied to the violator, with authorities confirming that the penalty for grazing camels in prohibited areas is a fine of 500 riyals per camel. These strict measures are in place to protect the vegetation in the royal reserves, which are a cornerstone of the Kingdom's strategy for developing vegetation cover and combating desertification. These reserves aim to reintroduce wildlife and protect wild plants from extinction due to overgrazing.
In a related development concerning the fight against illegal logging, the Special Forces for Environmental Security in the Riyadh region apprehended another citizen for transporting five cubic meters of local firewood. This constitutes a clear violation of regulations prohibiting the sale or transport of local firewood in order to preserve mature trees and tree cover. Legal procedures were applied to him, and the seized quantities were handed over to the relevant authorities. It is worth noting that the penalty for transporting local firewood and charcoal is 16,000 riyals per cubic meter. The relevant authorities emphasize the importance of using imported alternatives to charcoal and firewood to reduce pressure on the fragile local environment.
In the Madinah region, security patrols apprehended a citizen violating regulations and guidelines for preserving vegetation by starting a fire in an unauthorized area. This poses a danger to the environment and could cause fires to spread to natural parks. Authorities clarified that the penalty for this act in forests and national parks is a fine of up to 3,000 riyals.
The Special Forces for Environmental Security call on all citizens and residents to cooperate in protecting the environment and to report any cases that constitute an attack on the environment or wildlife, by calling the number (911) in the regions of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and the numbers (999) and (996) in the rest of the regions of the Kingdom, stressing that all reports are dealt with in complete confidentiality.
