Hala Al Khayyat (Abu Dhabi)
The Al Wathba Fossil Dunes Reserve has received 15,000 visitors since its opening to the public last February, due to the importance of the ecological and tourism site, as it includes more than 1,700 fossil dunes spread over 7 square kilometers.
The age of the fossil dunes in the reserve, which is nominated to join the list of UNESCO geoparks, is estimated at about 120,000 years, as the site dates back to the Ice Age, which qualified it to be the first reserve of its kind in the country and the West Asia region.
The public can visit the reserve without fees, seven days a week, from eight in the morning until ten in the evening, and on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, the site is open until eleven in the evening.
The Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi stressed the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of the site, and not to practice any abuse that would affect and harm the safety and sustainability of fossil dunes.
The authority called for visitors to the site to avoid climbing fossil formations and littering, and to organize any events or activities in fossil dune sites, given that they are very fragile and prone to damage and breakage.
The authority indicated the need for the public to be responsible when visiting natural sites in the country, in order to preserve them and the living creatures that live on the site.
The Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi continues to implement its integrated plan for the development and protection of the fossil sand dunes site in Al Wathba, which includes developing the site’s infrastructure and building many service and tourism facilities, such as installing directional boards distributed to the most important areas of the site, and constructing walkways and paths for visitors, in addition to to parking lots for vehicles, as well as working to declare the site a nature reserve to protect the emirate’s natural heritage and encourage eco-tourism.
It is noteworthy that the Al Wathba Fossil Dunes Reserve is one of the pillars of the natural heritage of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the UAE, and falls within the category of geological manifestations of nature reserves according to the standards of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Fossil sand dunes are hardened sand dunes located within specific areas of sand areas. They consist of calcium carbonate deposits that solidified during the Ice Age millions of years ago due to various weather factors. The formations in the Al Wathba area derive their form from the interaction between wind strength and sediment supplies.
During the last period, the authority implemented an integrated plan to develop and protect the fossil sand dunes site in Al Wathba, which included developing the site’s infrastructure, building many service and tourism facilities, including the visitor’s center and installing directional panels distributed to the most important areas of the site. The external and internal walls are 7 km long, in addition to preparing the internal road network.
Visitors’ Walk
The visitors’ walkway, which was equipped within the eco-tourism program, provides a unique opportunity for visitors to view the scenic nature and practice many activities such as walking the illuminated paths of up to 3 km in length, back and forth with many umbrellas and seats for rest and recreation, and watching the musical light shows of the fossil dunes.
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