Muscat: The work on the Oman Botanic Garden, between the mountains and wadis of the Al Khoudh area in the Wilayat of Al Seeb, is progressing well. The first of its kind development project, of the Diwan of Royal Court, will be completed by the end of 2023.
More than 700 multidisciplinary engineers and dedicated designers are involved in exploring and finding solutions that would suit such an ambitious and creative project. All materials used in the construction of the Oman Botanic Garden will be environmentally sustainable. The vision of this project is to inspire people to preserve biodiversity and enhance Omani plant heritage for a sustainable future.
The project is being built in an open space and in a very fertile area and away from residential houses so as not to disturb the residents with traffic inside and outside the site. It is located in Al Khoudh, 35 km from Muscat, and spreads over 423 hectares. The site was chosen because of the rock formations, natural hills and wadis.
The main components of the park will contain: Nursery, visitor centre, research centre, field studies centre, outdoor environments, outdoor environment centre, northern mountains indoor environment, southern mountains indoor environment education park. Also, places for children to play, family gatherings and places of rest and relaxation inspired by the Omani environments. The garden will also contain a seed bank, which is considered the largest seed bank in the Sultanate of Oman.
In the seed bank project, the work is supervised by a 100 per cent Omani team. Its mission is to preserve the seeds of endangered plants using modern scientific methods and with specific measurements to preserve them for decades to return to them when needed.
The website of the garden shows that its mission is to discover, cultivate, display and protect the unique Omani plant diversity and botanical heritage through innovative research and different environments. So, it will provide a unique opportunity for visitors to see the botanical diversity of Oman and to attract more tourists.
It will also include an experiment to establish the first chairlifts in the Sultanate of Oman to enhance the experiences of visitors through its various components to revive the tourism sector in the implementation of the tourism strategy and its operational plans. Salim bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, said in a tweet last year that “The construction works are progressing on the project and it will be unique and diversified.” The project is still under construction and will see the light by the end of 2023 according to the agreement.
Tourism experts said the parks are part of the Sultanate of Oman’s plan to diversify its tourist attractions. At present, the Omani tourism sector relies heavily on Salalah in the south, which is famous during the khareef season for its lush green landscapes and seasonal waterfalls. So, the project will keep the tourism sector active the whole year.
