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- Native plant storage and nurseries expand to support large-scale ecological rehabilitation
RIYADH: Seed banks are emerging as a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s ecological restoration efforts, safeguarding native plant species and supplying locally adapted seedlings for rehabilitation projects across the Kingdom.
The success of these restoration ambitions depends on processes that begin long before a seedling reaches the ground — particularly how seeds are collected, preserved and reintroduced into the landscape.
A seed bank is a facility or program that collects seeds, typically from native plants, then cleans, treats and stores them for future use in growing seedlings for conservation and restoration purposes.
Globally, one of the most prominent examples is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which preserves duplicate seed samples from genebanks as a safeguard for global plant genetic diversity.
Saudi Arabia’s seed banking efforts operate in a different ecological context, but follow the same principle: preserving genetic material today to enable ecosystem recovery in the future.
As restoration and afforestation initiatives expand across the Kingdom,
seed banks and native plant nurseries are increasingly being treated as essential infrastructure rather than supporting components. (SPA)
As restoration and afforestation initiatives expand across the Kingdom — driven by programs linked to the Saudi Green Initiative and broader national efforts to increase vegetation cover — seed banks and native plant nurseries are increasingly being treated as essential infrastructure rather than supporting components.
In Dawadmi, the Association for the Preservation of Trees and Parks established a seed bank after observing the decline of certain native tree species.
Saleh Al-Raqraq, president of the association, told Arab News: “The primary goal of establishing the seed bank is to preserve trees threatened with extinction.”
He explained that the process begins with collecting seeds from native trees, which are then treated and stored to ensure long-term viability.
In practice, seed banking is closely aligned with field operations. Seeds and seedlings are distributed to groups engaged in afforestation campaigns and the rehabilitation of natural sites.
Native seeds are collected, treated and stored for restoration and rehabilitation projects in Saudi Arabia. (Unsplash/Zoe Richardson)
Al-Raqraq said the association participates in national campaigns linked to the Saudi Green Initiative and broader efforts to increase vegetation cover.
The impact of seed banks is ultimately measured beyond storage facilities. Al-Raqraq noted that the association has implemented afforestation and cultivation projects across several sites in Al-Dawadmi governorate and its surrounding districts, while producing and collecting significant quantities of native seeds for environmental rehabilitation.
For some native species, he said “good germination rates were achieved after applying appropriate storage and treatment methods, particularly for desert plants adapted to drought.”
He added that seed dispersal and afforestation campaigns have also helped raise environmental awareness and increase volunteer participation. However, he also pointed to gaps that could shape long-term outcomes.
“These include the need for more specialized local seed banks, long-term research support, expanded studies on how climate change is affecting native plants, and the importance of building integrated national databases for suitable plants and seeds,” he said.
AlUla’s seed bank produces more than 1.5 million seedlings a year from over 100 native species. (Unsplash/Nik Shuliahin)
Al-Raqraq emphasized that improved research and site data are essential because restoration draws on two seed banks simultaneously — “what we store, and what the land already holds.”
On May 6, the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority, in collaboration with King Saud University, published a study on Rawdat Nourah showing that soil seed banks — seeds already present in the ground — do not always correspond with visible surface vegetation.
The finding has direct implications for restoration planning: managers must determine when ecosystems can regenerate naturally through protection alone, and when active intervention through stored seeds and nursery-grown plants is necessary.
Alongside community initiatives, Saudi Arabia is also building large-scale capacity through specialized nurseries and seed banks designed to support restoration at scale.
The AlUla Native Plant Nursery and Seed Bank operates a 58,750-square-meter facility producing more than 1.5 million seedlings annually from over 100 native species.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Seed banks are becoming a core part of Saudi Arabia’s ecological restoration infrastructure.
• Restoration success depends heavily on seed collection, storage and treatment long before planting begins.
• Saudi Arabia’s seed banking approach focuses on native species adapted to desert and arid conditions.
• The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a global benchmark, storing backup seeds to protect plant genetic diversity.
This capacity enables restoration to move beyond isolated campaigns, ensuring a continuous supply of locally adapted plants for multi-season rehabilitation projects.
While seed banks provide the biological foundation, restoration outcomes are often determined after planting — through site selection, maintenance and long-term monitoring.
Saad Al-Ajmi, chairman of Wasm Environmental Association, told Arab News: “The group selects afforestation and ecological restoration sites based on scientific criteria and genuine environmental need, focusing on degraded areas where vegetation cover can be strengthened.”
Al-Ajmi said each site is evaluated according to soil conditions, topography and existing vegetation, in coordination with relevant authorities to ensure regulatory compliance.
“The association’s work emphasizes what happens after planting, including irrigation during establishment, periodic field visits, protection from overgrazing or encroachments, and monitoring to track survival rates and address challenges,” he said
Saad Al-Ajmi, chairman of Wasm Environmental Association. (AN Photo by Huda Bashatah)
Rather than focusing solely on the number of trees planted, Al-Ajmi said success is measured through multiple indicators. “Such as seedling survival and growth, restored area, improvements in vegetation cover, biodiversity signals such as the return of some wildlife species, community participation, and long-term site sustainability.”
He added that ongoing challenges include limited water availability in some locations, overgrazing and high seasonal temperatures.
Al-Ajmi said the association has attracted more than 11 supporting entities for projects valued at over SR8 million ($2.1 million), and has led dozens of volunteer initiatives involving more than 11,000 participants across afforestation, environmental awareness and natural resource conservation.
Seed banks may appear to be quiet, technical spaces defined by storage conditions and labeling systems. Yet their impact is tangible in the landscapes that eventually emerge.
They preserve native genetic diversity, support climate-resilient propagation, and reduce the risk of restoration failure caused by a lack of suitable planting material.
Across Saudi Arabia, a multi-layered restoration ecosystem is taking shape — from community groups identifying local ecological decline and collecting native seeds, to large-scale nurseries and seed banks ensuring consistent supply, to field programs that treat survival rates, aftercare and monitoring as central measures of success rather than afterthoughts.
