Muscat: The Oman Botanical Garden will be the largest garden in the world, showcasing Oman's plant diversity in an area stretching over 4.2 square kilometres.
Upon completion, it is expected to include more than 1,407 species of local plants that will be cultivated in environments simulating their native conditions.
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik issued Royal Decree No. (25/2023) on Tuesday amending some provisions of Royal Decree No. 6/2006 regarding the Oman Botanical Garden.
The unique project will display traditional Omani plants and showcase Oman's plant diversity as well as agricultural heritage and hospitality. Located between the mountains and valleys of the (Al-Khoud) area of Lolik Al-Seeb, which is famous for its plant diversity, the garden will feature traditionally grown Omani plants and document their usage in the various fields of daily life.
A world-class project, the Oman Botanical Garden will have various sections like a visitor centre, a green mountain environment department, the Dhofar mountain environment department, the Omani valleys environment department in various governorates, and the sandy deserts department, the Salt Flats Environment Department (Sabkha), the Children's Games Department, the Agricultural Nursery Department, the Laboratory Department and the Researchers and Students Department. In addition to the administrative and service departments, residence areas will also be established for international researchers.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism launched in 2021 an international tender for the development, implementation and production of interactive content, visual communication, and the development of the smart device application for the Oman Botanical Garden project.