Dubai, July 14
Dubai Municipality has completed a series of landscaping and afforestation projects across major intersections and roadways in the emirate during the first half of 2025.
Valued at AED190 million and covering more than three million square metres, the projects form part of the Municipality's broader strategy to green and beautify Dubai, support the objectives of the Green Dubai initiative, and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors in line with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.
The landscaping works spanned several strategic locations, including the intersection of Al Khail Road with Latifa bint Hamdan Street; the intersection of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Street with Tripoli Street; Sheikh Rashid Street from the junction with Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street to Al Mina Road; Sheikh Zayed Road from the 7th Interchange (entry point to Dubai from Abu Dhabi); and Al Khawaneej Street at the intersection with Al Amardi Street.
In total, the Municipality planted more than 300,000 trees and seedlings, along with 222,500 square metres of ground covers and flowers. The projects incorporated smart, sustainable irrigation systems featuring underground pump designs to optimise surface space. These systems are connected to remote-control networks supported by Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, enabling real-time monitoring and water-use efficiency to ensure sustainable irrigation practices.
Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said the new landscaping projects form part of the Municipality's ongoing efforts to enhance the urban and aesthetic appeal of Dubai and increase the sustainability and attractiveness of public spaces. The initiatives are aligned with the highest standards of innovative and sustainable landscaping practices and support the urban environment pillar of Dubai's Quality of Life Strategy 2033.
He added, "Our aim is to reinforce Dubai's distinctive urban and aesthetic identity and solidify its position as a leading sustainable global city. We seek to offer a vibrant and healthy living environment that upholds the highest standards of quality of life for residents and visitors, while maintaining a harmonious balance between the urban, architectural, and environmental landscape."
Bader Anwahi, CEO of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality, said, "The landscaping projects were developed in accordance with specific urban and environmental criteria, with a focus on selecting diverse plant species adapted to the local climate. This enhances the beauty and unique character of public spaces. We also increased the planting of native and ornamental species cultivated in Dubai Municipality's nurseries. In addition, we unified the aesthetic of Dubai's main entry points by installing similar decorative fencing, using carefully selected colour schemes that reflect the emirate's identity and provide visitors with a welcoming sense of arrival."
The projects incorporated the planting of native trees such as sidr, ghaf, and neem, alongside ornamental varieties including chorisia, washingtonia, royal poinciana, millingtonia, albizia, and bougainvillaea.
In addition to landscaping works, Dubai Municipality further enhanced the appeal and aesthetic quality of the city's unique urban design, particularly at key intersections and main roads. For instance, the intersection of Al Khail Road and Latifa bint Hamdan Street was fitted with vertical lighting inspired by traditional Arab architecture. These lights are harmoniously integrated with the surrounding landscape design and change colours to mark national occasions, adding a distinctive visual element that reflects the city's creative design ethos.
By the end of Q1 2025, Dubai Municipality was managing more than 5.5 million trees and seedlings, 8.7 million square metres of green areas, 2 million square metres of seasonal flowers, 6.3 million square metres of ground covers, and 1.3 million linear metres of plant fencing. In 2024 alone, the Municipality planted 216,500 trees--an average of 600 new trees per day. The total area of green space increased to 391.5 hectares in 2024, up from 234 hectares in 2023.
These milestones reaffirm Dubai Municipality's commitment to sustainable urban development and its ongoing efforts to position Dubai as one of the world's most attractive, liveable, and environmentally conscious cities. (ANI/WAM)
— ANI
Reader Comments
While this is impressive, I wonder if such massive landscaping is sustainable long-term in a desert climate. The water requirements must be enormous. Maybe they should focus more on native plants like ghaf trees mentioned in the article.
The smart irrigation systems using IoT tech are revolutionary! Indian cities facing water scarcity should adopt similar solutions. Our municipal corporations need to think beyond just planting trees to maintaining them properly.
Dubai's transformation is inspiring! But let's not forget India's own rich landscaping heritage - our Mughal gardens and temple landscapes are equally beautiful. We need to preserve and modernize our green spaces too 💚
The scale is impressive but I hope they're also creating habitats for local wildlife. In India, we've seen how urban projects often ignore biodiversity. Greening cities should be about ecosystems, not just aesthetics.
As someone who lived in Dubai for 5 years, these green spaces make such a difference to quality of life! The municipality maintains them impeccably. Wish our Indian cities had similar maintenance budgets and discipline.
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