Making Muscat greener

Muscat: Muscat Governorate has expanded its green spaces to cover an impressive 2.73 million square metres, as part of its commitment to environmental sustainability.

This area includes 19,565 palm trees, 51,831 varied trees, 336,777 shrubs and hedges, 84,205 square metres of seasonal flowers, and 426,577 square metres of soil covers, enhancing the quality of life for residents and promoting a greener urban environment.

The Sultanate recently celebrated the annual Omani Agriculture Day, which falls on October 31, and Muscat Governorate’s municipal sector launched several environmental initiatives, emphasising its dedication to sustainability and green space promotion.

These initiatives are part of the 'Green Muscat' initiative, which aims to engage the community in preserving vegetation, preventing desertification, and expanding green spaces.

The Green Muscat initiative plans to plant 10 million trees and began its first phase with the distribution of seedlings in collaboration with the Muscat Charity Team and Seeb Charity Team at Sur Al Hadid Beach. As part of these efforts, over 4,000 seedlings were distributed to various areas, with an initial 2,000 seedlings planted in collaboration with the Muscat Charity Team.

This community-focused approach, designed to raise environmental awareness, especially among young people, encourages active participation in caring for the city’s green spaces.

A follow-up event is set for November 3 (Sunday) in Quriyat, where another 2,000 seedlings will be distributed by the Basmatna Gheer Team at Quriyat Club.

The Green Muscat initiative, along with these new projects, is positioning Muscat Governorate as a model for sustainable urban development in Oman. With more than 2.73 million square meters of cultivated green spaces, Muscat is enhancing air quality, boosting biodiversity, and creating vibrant areas where residents can enjoy nature and engage in recreational activities. Through these efforts, Muscat is realising its vision of a greener, healthier, and more sustainable city for future generations.

In addition to community-led planting campaigns, Muscat Municipality has rolled out multiple projects to create eco-friendly parks and walkways across the governorate, each designed to enhance the community's quality of life and sustainability.

One of the major new projects include Fins Beach Park in Quriyat. This 7,000 square metres park, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, includes green areas, a children’s playground, and spaces for camping vehicles with parking facilities, along with smart lighting and a modern irrigation system.

Another example is Al Nahda City Park in Al Amerat, which covers 6,000 square metres. This park features walkways, seating, shaded areas, a children’s playground, and a mini football stadium, providing families with a welcoming recreational space.

Yet another important project is Al Maabilah South Park (Stage 8) in Seeb. Spread across 10,000 square metres, this park features bicycle paths, sports areas, children’s playgrounds, landscaped gardens, and advanced lighting, catering to active lifestyles and enhancing green spaces within residential areas.

The Hail Al Ghaf Park in Quriyat is developed over 3,000sqm, and includes green spaces, a walkway area, shades, a children’s play area, and a six-sided sports stadium, with a smart irrigation system to conserve water.

Al-Saleel Nature Park in Quriyat in another initiative. Set to become one of the largest green areas in Muscat, this 670,000sqm nature park will offer camping facilities, shaded seating, sports and entertainment areas, and paths for walking and cycling.

Also, the Al Wadi Al Kabir Park in Muttrah was recently reopened. This 41,209sqm park now includes modern recreational facilities such as football fields, padel courts, a bowling alley, a sports shop, and dining and entertainment spaces.

Walkways to promote active lifestyles
Muscat Municipality is also developing new walkways that provide ample space for physical activities, supporting the community’s health and wellness goals. Among the key projects are Ministries District Walk in Al Khuwair. This 24,000sqm space incorporates a 1,900m walkway, cycling paths, and 15,000sqm of landscaped areas. Enhanced with AI-driven smart irrigation, the walkway fosters a healthy lifestyle within a green environment.

In Seeb, the ‘Golden Jubilee Walkway’ extends over 84,400sqm and the newly constructed walkway includes a 1,972m pathway, a cycling path, shaded seating, cafes, and entertainment facilities, making it a prominent space for community recreation.

A cornerstone of Muscat’s green space expansion has been its commitment to fostering community partnerships. The municipality collaborates with the private sector to create multi-use spaces that combine public parks with commercial amenities.

In Al Maabila South, a partnership with Saud bin Hilal Al Sabri has established an integrated project with a public park, commercial spaces, kiosks for small and medium enterprises, and recreational areas.

A collaboration with Occidental of Oman brought the “Green Walkway” or “Longitudinal Park” in Al Maabila to life. This expansive 152,400 square-metres green space includes a sports walkway, cycling paths, playgrounds, smart lighting, and landscaped seating areas.

With these initiatives, Muscat Governorate is demonstrating its dedication to environmental sustainability, providing residents with green spaces that enhance quality of life, support biodiversity, and promote healthy lifestyles for future generations.