المملكة: New rules for wild camps… 8 prohibitions, most notably violating public decency

The center explained that the new rules regulate the mechanisms for issuing licenses to engage in wild camping activities, and determine the duration of daily hiking and accompanying recreational activities, in accordance with the rules and regulations in force in vegetation lands.

Addressing violations

The rules included clear provisions for dealing with violations, including requiring violators to remove monuments. resulting from the violation, rehabilitating the damaged sites, and paying the prescribed compensation in the event of deterioration or pollution of vegetation lands.

The Center stated that it undertakes full supervision of the organization of wild camp activities and related activities, including identifying suitable sites for camping, designating camping seasons, and determining the authorized time period for practicing the activity.

The Center receives applications for camping permits during the period extending from the beginning of the camping season until the end of the specified statutory period, with the authority to issue the necessary decisions regarding Violators in accordance with what the rules stipulate.

Controls for selecting sites

The rules confirmed that their provisions apply to everyone who practices camping and the recreational activities accompanying it in vegetation lands, taking into account coordination with the relevant government agencies.

They stipulate that the sites designated for camping must be within vegetation lands or lands approved for camping, and not located within the range of pastures subject to grazing regulation or within the boundaries of forests and areas with high environmental sensitivity.

The rules stressed the need for camping sites to be far from the valleys and sanctuaries of valleys and flood streams, outside the border areas and their sanctuaries, and not be subject to afforestation projects that require removal, or conflict with existing or future sites.

Classification of camps and their areas

The regulatory rules classified wild camps according to the purpose of their use, as they included non-investment camps designated for personal or family use, and designated investment camps. For commercial or tourism activities, in addition to government camps designated for the use of official bodies on national occasions and celebrations, in addition to private business camps that are used for purposes such as prospecting or exploration and the like.

With regard to spaces, the rules clarify that the area of each camp is determined according to its use and the approved sites for wild camping, provided that the area of an individual camp does not exceed 2,000 square meters per camp.

As for investment camps, their area is determined according to what is stipulated in an investment contract. The site, while the area of government camps or private business camps is according to need, provided that it does not exceed 20 thousand square meters for one camp, with the center being given the authority to increase or decrease the specified areas whenever the public interest requires it.

Permit requirements and the mechanism for issuing it

The center confirmed that wild camping activity may not be practiced except after obtaining an official permit, issued in accordance with the approved controls and conditions related to vegetation lands. The permit is granted electronically through the approved camping platform, based on a request submitted by the beneficiary after fulfilling all requirements.

The rules obligated the permit holder to adhere to the period specified for him, while allowing the use of individual hiking supplies for daily hikes for a period not exceeding 24 hours.

It prohibited the practice of camping in sites other than the approved sites, and stipulated that the beneficiary be granted only one permit in one site during one season, without the right to obtain more than one permit in the same site or in multiple sites during The same season.

Regulatory rules

The regulatory rules stressed a number of prohibitions inside wild camps, including violating public taste or any relevant rules and regulations, cutting down or damaging trees or shrubs, logging or grazing, in addition to setting fires using firewood or local charcoal or in places other than those designated for that.

It also prohibited the erection of earthen fences, iron barriers or nets, while allowing the use of sails. As a barrier with a height not exceeding three meters within the designated area for camping.

The prohibitions also included erecting any facilities that obstruct the flow of floods or lead to soil erosion, and the use of cement or asphalt materials inside or outside the camp.

The rules prohibited afforestation or scattering seeds inside or outside camping sites without a license, digging underground wells to extract water, and using generators, wires, or electrical appliances that do not conform to Saudi standard specifications, in addition to Prohibiting the use of drones and the like for photographic purposes without obtaining a license from the competent authority.