ONE of Dubai’s most unique and exclusive resort, Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, is going a step ahead to reiterate its commitment to desert conservation. The resort has long been seen as the perfect holiday destination offering visitors a secluded and peaceful experience, and the resort is adamant it has a unique spectacle to offer; desert dunes as far as the eye can see.
Since its inception and opening in 1999, Al Maha has led the regions’ conservation efforts. Today the resort boasts of a large-scale rehabilitation programmes, including the propagation of over 6,000 indigenous trees, shrubs, grasses and the reintroduction of the region’s first free-roaming herds of endangered Oryx. Moreover, Al Maha aims to be an ever-growing haven of protection for the region’s large and small mammals, and the bird species of Arabia.
Arne Silvis, general manager of Al Maha, said, “The subtle balance between luxury and the preservation of the natural environment forms the core of our vision, and its success has been internationally acknowledged - with awards which range from The World Legacy Award from National Geographic, to the Arab Cities Award for Architecture, and Best Environmental Design, well before environmental issues were seen as critically important.”
Out of Al Maha’s success the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) was formed, with the resort being the centrepiece. The conservation is managed by a dedicated team of DDCR Conservation Officers on behalf of the Government of Dubai, where the resort cares for and nurtures nearly five per cent of Dubai’s total land area, conserved the remaining wildlife, in one of the worlds’ fastest-developing regions. The resort continuously strives to use industry best practices in order to improve their conservation techniques and efforts.