"100 cells" A pioneering environmental initiative that enhances biodiversity in the UAE
Dubai, July 10 / WAM / The UAE continues its leadership in adopting innovative environmental initiatives that enhance biodiversity and support food security, through projects that integrate sustainability into the details of daily life, based on the conviction that protecting nature is a shared responsibility to which institutions and individuals alike contribute.
The “100 Hives” initiative launched by Terra at Expo City Dubai embodies this trend, by establishing a growing network of beehives and natural habitats in schools, business establishments, and hospitality and retail destinations, which contributes to spreading environmental awareness, restoring natural habitats, enhancing society’s connection to nature, and making protecting biodiversity a daily practice that contributes to achieving the goals of sustainable development and food security.
There is interest in pollinators, especially bees, as they are one of the most important elements in the sustainability of ecosystems and agricultural production, as they play a pivotal role in pollinating crops and flowering plants and maintaining the environmental balance inside and outside cities.
Dr. Maryam Hammal, Director of the Pollinator Program at Terra at Expo City Dubai, stressed that pollinators play a pivotal role in supporting food security and biodiversity, noting that about 35% of global agricultural production depends on animal pollinators, while approximately 75% of flowering plants depend on pollination to complete their reproductive cycle, in addition to their contribution to a global economic value ranging between 235 and 577 billion dollars annually.
She explained that many daily food products, such as coffee, cocoa, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and almonds, are directly linked to the presence of pollinators, which makes their protection an issue that affects everyone’s lives, stressing that restoring natural habitats, cultivating local plants, and spreading environmental awareness represent practical steps that individuals and institutions can take to support these organisms.
She pointed out that the “100 Hives” initiative aims to establish a network of beehives in schools, in parallel with the “Be Kind” initiative directed at companies, hospitality and retail destinations, which contributes to enhancing biodiversity within areas designated for housing, work and education, and transforming them into more sustainable environments.
She said that the initiative was an extension of Terra’s experience in protecting pollinators, which began during the project’s construction work, when wild bee colonies were discovered and carefully moved to safe sites instead of removing them, which proved the possibility of reconciling urban development with nature preservation.
She added that the goal of establishing one hundred cells is clear and measurable, but it reflects a broader vision based on building an interconnected network of habitats that extends across schools, business institutions, and communities, stressing that each cell constitutes an educational space and a supportive habitat for pollinators, and that the success of the initiative is also measured by the volume of community interaction and the breadth of the habitats that are created.
She pointed out that the initiative is still in its early stages, as Deira International School joined as the first participating educational institution, but it has established a model that combines the creation of natural habitats with education and sustainable awareness, while providing programs for site evaluation, training and technical support to ensure the integration of every cell within an integrated biodiversity system, stressing that the expected expansion will enhance the spread of pollinator habitats throughout Dubai.
She said that the initiative is consistent with the goals of the National Biodiversity Strategy 2031, by restoring natural habitats, enhancing community awareness, and integrating biodiversity concepts into daily practices within cities.
She explained that pollinators play a very important role in urban environments, as they allow plants to reproduce, support vegetation, and provide food for wildlife, while their decline leads to a decrease in biodiversity across the entire food chain, while their presence contributes to raising the ability of cities to adapt and improving the quality of the environment and life.
She added that transforming cities into suitable habitats for pollinators can be achieved by planting local plants, such as ghaf and sidr, reducing the use of pesticides, creating green spaces, and adopting urban designs that take into account biodiversity, stressing that simple initiatives in schools, offices, and hotels are capable of building a connected network that supports the prosperity of pollinators.
She pointed out that the loss of natural habitats due to urban expansion, climate change, and land use changes is one of the most prominent challenges facing pollinators globally, which makes providing safe environments for feeding and reproduction an increasing necessity, which the initiative seeks to achieve by integrating nature protection into daily life within schools, companies, and communities.
Hammal stressed that the success of the initiative depends on partnership with various segments of society, explaining that educational institutions and companies can join through the “Terra” website, where sites are evaluated and training and support are provided for a period of up to three years, while individuals can contribute by planting local plants, creating pollinator-friendly gardens, and spreading awareness of their importance.
She stressed that Deira International School represents only the starting point, while “Terra” is moving to expand the initiative’s network to include one hundred cells distributed among schools, business establishments, and hospitality and retail destinations, in parallel with other initiatives such as Jane Goodall’s Pollinator Garden and natural habitat restoration programs, in order to establish long-term partnerships that achieve a tangible impact that benefits humans.
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