Saudi Arabia Expands Protected Areas Network with Registration of 26 National Parks

   Riyadh, September 09, 2026, SPA -- The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) announced approval to register the Kingdom's national parks in the national register of protected areas, alongside updating the Kingdom's data in the World Database on Protected Areas, to unify the national reference for protected areas and ensure their management in accordance with international standards.
   The registration included 26 national parks across various regions of the Kingdom, with a total area exceeding 5,115 square kilometers after alignment with international standards for protected areas. The parks are a major component of the protected areas system and help expand its geographical coverage.
   NCVC noted that registering these national parks contributes to achieving the targets of the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to protect 30% of the Kingdom's terrestrial and marine areas by 2030, as part of national efforts to protect ecosystems, restore natural habitats, and enhance biodiversity.
   This falls within the initiative's efforts to mobilize and unify national action to achieve the Kingdom's environmental targets by integrating the roles of relevant entities within their areas of jurisdiction.
   NCVC plays a pivotal role in protecting and developing vegetation cover, combating desertification, overseeing national parks, and regulating investment in them. This supports environmental sustainability, enhances their efficiency as natural and tourism destinations, and advances the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to grow the environmental sector and improve quality of life.
   -- SPA