The UAE is getting a lot more local trees with expanding nursery business

The Persian Gulf gets more trees.

Gulf Contracting & Landscaping (GCL), an Al Khayyat Investments (AKI) company, has unveiled one of the UAE’s largest horticulture nurseries in a move to further optimize local natural resources while serving its customers across the UAE. The expanded nursery is located in Al Rahba, Abu Dhabi, covering 1.25 million sqft and holding more than a million plants that thrive within the local climate. Trees make cities and towns more beautiful and can reduce local temperatures by 10 degrees C because of canopy cover and tree respiration.

Plants and Trees of the Persian Gulf area include:
  • The Date Palm
  • The Rose Flower
  • The Juniper Tree
  • The Frankincense Tree
  • The Acacia Tree
  • The Ghaf Tree

Related: meet the Teaching Tree of Saudi Arabia

The facility has undergone remarkable growth since its formation in 2007, with GCL steadily acquiring adjacent nurseries in Abu Dhabi as well as developing sites in other emirates. Today, GCL nurseries are home to over 300 varieties of plants, shrubs, trees, and ground cover for use in GCL’s landscaping projects as well as for external developments.​

Palm Pavilion features local Emirati traditions

Along with the expanded Al Rahba site, GCL is enlarging its nurseries across the UAE and GCC, and is planning to build a new facility – set for completion in 2025 – that will span more than 1.5 million sqft.

The announcement comes at a time when the UAE is rapidly transforming its outdoor spaces and advancing green developments, embodied in recent plans such as the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy 2033, which includes developing over 200 parks in the emirate alone, and the Abu Dhabi 2030 Urban Structure Framework Plan, which aims to improve the liveability of the capital’s residents.

“At GCL, we are committed to playing an integral role in making the UAE greener in line with the leadership’s vision for enhancing quality of life,” said Rami Hamad, CEO of GCL. “Moreover, we see great potential to provide local, sustainable solutions for such projects, using the latest engineering technologies to maximise efficiencies and preserve natural ecosystems.”

solar tree Masdar
A solar tree at Masdar City is better replaced by a real tree.

Today, GCL provides end-to-end expertise in site preparation, landscaping, infrastructure, civil works, aquatic works, design and fit out, allowing the company to create everything from manicured greens to strikingly designed public and private spaces. GCL’s design and turnkey implementation capabilities span parks, streetscapes, public realms, residential community areas, as well as golf courses, sports fields, and cycling and jogging tracks.

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