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Environmental rehabilitation project for Wadi Laban
RCRC has developed a program for the environmental rehabilitation of the tributary valleys of Wadi Hanifa, which aims to rehabilitate and develop these tributaries and turn them into attractive natural recreation areas. One of the axes of this program was the development of Wadi Laban.
Wadi Laban extends from the west of the city of Riyadh towards the east and meets Wadi Hanifa in the Qurashi area. The environmental rehabilitation project for Wadi Laban covers the area extending from the Laban Dam to its confluence with Wadi Hanifa. The project was implemented in three phases
The first stage
The works of the first phase of the project, in addition to cleaning the bottom of the valley and the dam basin from waste and refining the torrents, included the following:
Road works and facilities
A local road was constructed with a length of 3,800 meters, equipped with parking lots that can accommodate 328 cars. The road and its surroundings are lit with 126 lighting units, powered by an onsite electrical station.
Sidewalks and footpaths
Pedestrian aggregate paths with a length of 4300 meters were laid, edged with large stones, and traverse the most attractive areas for hikers such as wooded sites close to the water canal and around rock formations, and a sidewalk adjacent to the road, designated as a pedestrian path, was instated with an area of over 2800m2.
Afforestation and irrigation
Wadi Laban has been afforested in harmony with its natural environment with the planting of natural trees, shrubs, and suitable desert herbs in line with a long-term program to restore the vegetation cover in the valley to its natural state. One hundred palm trees along the sidewalk were planted, as well as 550 trees and 1,500 shrubs of various varieties on the valley basin.
Designated rest areas for hikers
Overlooking the Laban Dam basin, 30 stone paved rest areas for picnickers were instated.
The opening of the first stage
On Tuesday 18 Jumada al-Awwal 1433 AH, His Royal Highness Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz inaugurated the first phase of the environmental rehabilitation project for Wadi Laban and opened the Wadi Laban Dam Park to the public.
The second and third stages
The second and third phases of the Wadi Laban Environmental Rehabilitation Project extend for a length of 7km, starting from the Wadi Laban Dam to Wadi Hanifa, covering a total area of 740,000m2
. Like the first phase, the work in these two phases of the project included clearing the basin of the valley from waste and undertaking remedial works to improve the flow of water in the streams, in addition to rehabilitating a natural lake with an area of 140,000m2 and a depth of up to two meters.
Road works and services
The works of the second and third phases included the construction of local roads with a length of 6km, a pedestrian walkway of 1.2km, parking lots for 342 cars, in addition to lighting works for the project facilities, and toilets.
Environmental and recreational facilities
The second and third phases of the project also included the construction of a park beside the lake with a length of 1.2km, the implementation of a permanent water channel with a length of 7km, and the planting of 370 trees to contribute to improving air quality, restoring vegetation in the region, and providing a suitable environment that enhances the biodiversity of the valley.
