ENHG Lecture Nov 5th: Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve: A success story for sustainable tourism and habitat rehabilitation

Membership sign up from 7pm, Talk begins at 7:30pm 

Talk is free and open to all, please register your attendance 

This talk is generously hosted by Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas

About the talk:  The lecture will present the history of establishing DDCR as a premium sustainable tourist destination while at the same time conserving a representation of the Dubai’s Inland Desert original landscapes and indigenous fauna and flora, through careful and effective management that promotes natural processes for optimum conservation outcomes leading to rewilding of the desert habitat. The reserve has succeeded in providing an authentic desert experience for people which demonstrates the beauty and marvel of the natural environment and educates on the intricacies of nature and the living heritage of Dubai.

About the speaker: Tamer Khafaga is a senior ecologist with more than 21 years of experience in ecology, habitat management and restoration as well as sustainable development. His MSc from (Reading University – UK) focused on taxonomy and biodiversity with a thesis entitled "Impact of grazing on floral diversity in high altitude mountains in St. Katherine Protectorate, South Sinai - Egypt". Tamer’s work in the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency as an Environmental researcher in the St. Katherine Protectorate (May 1998 till August 2006) complemented his interest and skills in the understanding of biodiversity conservation, habitats restoration and protected area management. Currently, Tamer is a conservation research manager who focuses on conservation and protected area research planning at the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Tamer is in the process of completing his PhD (Faculty of Science, Malaga University – Spain) with his research focusing on plant functional diversity responses to grazing in an Arabian hyper-arid protected inland desert ecosystem.  Tamer is also the Regional Chair for West Asia commission of Ecosystem Management; one of six commissions under the umbrella of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature.