Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia has initiated a major environmental-tech effort: the Al Khobar Tree Digitization Project, aiming to catalog 100,000 trees across the city. Each tree will carry an electronic tag displaying its species, geographic location, and care guidelines in both Arabic and English.
See related: MIT and its trees
The tags are integrated into a dynamic geographic database, offering planners, residents, and environmental advocates an interactive real-time view of the city’s urban forest.
This initiative is a flagship component of Al Khobar’s broader ambition to emerge as a green smart city, aligned with national sustainability frameworks such as the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI). Under SGI, Saudi Arabia aims to plant 10 billion trees, protect 30 percent of its terrestrial and marine areas by 2030, foster green jobs, and promote private‑sector participation in ecosystem restoration.
We’ve written about its mangrove plantation efforts and this new project ensures trees will be cared for and protected.
Technology meets ecology in this project—each tagged tree contributes to data-driven urban forest management. Tree health, maintenance needs, watering schedules, and environmental metrics could be monitored centrally—paving the way for smarter irrigation, improved urban planning, and enhanced biodiversity management.
Starting with the first 10,000 trees along Al Khobar’s southern and northern corniches, waterfront zones, and main thoroughfares, the project will expand city‑wide. It sets a foundation for integrating green infrastructure, citizen engagement, and sustainable tourism—an urban ecosystem that’s both cultivated and tracked through smart tech.
This effort complements other transformative developments across the country—such as Riyadh’s Green Riyadh afforestation program, NEOM’s futuristic design projects, and “The Line”—reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s shift toward eco‑innovative urbanism.
Key Benefits: Urban Forest Health Monitoring: Real-time data enables proactive detection of disease, pests, droughts, or other threats.
Public Awareness & Participation: Bilingual labels make tree information accessible—encouraging community connection to nature.
Green Investment Attraction: Signals a city primed for green infrastructure development and eco‑tech partnerships.
Enriched Visitor Experience: Imagine interactive “tree walks” along the corniche—where every tree is a point of smart engagement.
