The Vegetation of the United Arab Emirates and Ecosystem Management Issues

This chapter discusses the terrestrial vegetation of the United Arab Emirates, and the main units are described in the context of broad habitat types. Despite the huge increase in human activity over the past decades, natural terrestrial habitat types continue to occupy, by far, the larger part of the country. However, they are often severely degraded. The main issues affecting the flora and vegetation are largely the same as in other arid parts of the world, with overgrazing remaining a serious challenge. With regard to tackling these major issues, the various emirates have begun to create a network of protected areas. Effective management plans are required to ensure that they fulfil their role in protecting the natural heritage of the country. If rigorously implemented, the recently introduced ‘grazing law’ in Abu Dhabi emirate could create a useful blueprint for a sustainable grazing regime outside of the protected areas, leading to an enhancement of ecosystem functioning over the longer term.