ALEC Engineering and Contracting, part of Dubai-based ALEC Holdings has signed an agreement with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) to support a first-of-its-kind mangrove hydrological restoration pilot in the UAE capital.

The three-year project will explore whether restoring the natural hydrological conditions of a mangrove area in need of restoration can help the ecosystem return to long-term ecological health. In doing so, the initiative will examine the underlying conditions required to secure the future health and resilience of Abu Dhabi’s mangrove habitats.

EAD will lead the scientific planning and implementation of the project, including site selection, ecological and hydrological assessments, identification of the required restoration interventions, and the monitoring and reporting of project outcomes, it stated. 

The pilot will establish baseline information for the selected site and track progress against defined restoration and biodiversity indicators. Its findings are expected to strengthen scientific understanding of mangrove hydrology in Abu Dhabi and help inform the planning of future ecosystem restoration initiatives.

The project supports the science-led restoration objectives of the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative and complements the UAE’s national climate and biodiversity targets. By examining the conditions needed for mangrove habitats to recover and thrive, it will contribute to a broader understanding of how protection, hydrological restoration and long-term monitoring can work together to deliver durable ecological outcomes.

Earlier this year, ALEC had signed the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative Partners Pledge, committing to support the conservation and restoration of mangroves and other blue carbon ecosystems, advance science-based restoration, and reduce its impact on nature. 

Maitha Mohamed Al Hameli, Acting Executive Director, Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, said: "We welcome ALEC’s support for this pilot, which reflects the kind of long-term, science-based commitment the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative was established to encourage. The findings will strengthen our understanding of how mangrove sites respond to restored hydrological conditions and will inform how we plan future restoration in the emirate."

"Through this pilot, we aim to build the scientific evidence needed for long-term solutions that safeguard Abu Dhabi’s mangroves, a defining feature of the emirate’s natural heritage," she stated.

This partnership marks ALEC’s first flagship nature restoration investment with measurable biodiversity outcomes and forms part of its broader commitment to integrating biodiversity considerations into its sustainability strategy and contributing to nature-positive outcomes in the regions where it operates.

Sean McQue, Managing Director - ALEC, said: "As our first biodiversity restoration investment, the project enables us to contribute directly to the protection and restoration of Abu Dhabi’s mangrove ecosystems, while supporting a science-led approach that will generate measurable biodiversity outcomes."

"Through this pilot, we are supporting the development of the knowledge, evidence and practical understanding needed to help these vital ecosystems recover and thrive. In doing so, we are proud to support Abu Dhabi’s ambition to protect its natural heritage and contribute to a more resilient future for the emirate," he added.-TradeArabia News Service