Dana Al Dhaen and Nouf Alqadi are championing conservation among the nation's youth. Photo: Dana Al Dhaen / Nouf Alqadi
Dana Al Dhaen and Nouf Alqadi are championing conservation among the nation's youth. Photo: Dana Al Dhaen / Nouf Alqadi
Dana Al Dhaen and Nouf Alqadi are championing conservation among the nation's youth. Photo: Dana Al Dhaen / Nouf Alqadi
Dana Al Dhaen and Nouf Alqadi are championing conservation among the nation's youth. Photo: Dana Al Dhaen / Nouf Alqadi

How young Emiratis are connecting with nature to forge a better future for all


Rachel Kelly
  • English
  • Arabic

This page was produced by The National in collaboration or partnership with Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi

Growing up in the UAE, Nouf Alqadi was never far from the sea or the sand. These landscapes gave her an early appreciation for the natural world.

“Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by National Geographic and dreamt of becoming an explorer,” she says. “Over time, I realised that understanding these incredible creatures is the first step towards protecting them.”

Ms Alqadi is part of a cohort of young Emirati leaders and changemakers representing the country at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress taking place in Abu Dhabi.

“Being part of the IUCN Youth Congress underscores the vital role of young people in global conservation efforts,” Ms Alqadi tells The National.

“It’s about uniting our voices and shaping a better, more sustainable future together.”

For Ms Alqadi, the UAE’s role as host of the IUCN World Conservation Congress is an important opportunity to showcase the UAE’s ongoing efforts and leadership in conservation.

“The UAE has become a pioneering partner in global biodiversity protection, and hosting the IUCN Congress here highlights our commitment to sustainability and international collaboration.”

Nouf Alqadi founded a community initiative that aims to highlight the importance of protecting nature. Photo: Nouf Alqadi
Nouf Alqadi founded a community initiative that aims to highlight the importance of protecting nature. Photo: Nouf Alqadi

Championing community action

Ms Alqadi is the founder of Ithra by Nouf, a community-based initiative that aims to reconnect people with nature through education, engagement and sustainable living. Her work ranges from guided birdwatching walks to environmental workshops and digital campaigns, that highlight both the challenges and beauty of biodiversity.

“To date, I’ve organised more than 20 activations engaging youth, households and the wider community,” she says. “Each one is designed to build awareness and inspire environmental stewardship.”

Ms Alqadi believes conservation must be inclusive, not confined to policymakers or scientists, but something that engages every individual, especially youth. “We are not working in isolation, but as part of a collective movement for the planet,” she says.

Through Ithra by Nouf, she has sought to make that collective movement tangible. Her workshops, often held in parks, schools and community centres, introduce participants to everything from native bird species to waste reduction techniques. Social media also plays a role, where Ms Alqadi shares sustainability tips and showcases examples of biodiversity from her travels.

While the environmental challenges facing the planet are urgent and complex, Ms Alqadi remains optimistic. The key, she believes, is education paired with community action. “When people feel connected to nature, they are more likely to protect it,” she says. “That connection is what I’m trying to foster.”

Dana Al Dhaen has harnessed her passion for the environment into a career bringing about change. Photo: Dana Al Dhaen
Dana Al Dhaen has harnessed her passion for the environment into a career bringing about change. Photo: Dana Al Dhaen

From backyard curiosity to national impact

Dana Al Dhaen, 25, an environmental scientist and changemaker based in the UAE, has turned her childhood fascination with nature into a mission to raise awareness of the environment, with a special focus on native plant life.

Holding a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and Sustainability, Ms Al Dhaen's passion for nature began long before university, in her own back garden watching ants and observing plants.

Her environmental activism took off with a workshop on biomimicry, a concept that looks to nature for design and problem-solving inspiration.

“I wanted to reach people outside of the environmental space,” Ms Al Dhaen explains.

“Biomimicry can appeal to engineers, designers, even doctors ... it shows that nature has solutions to our human problems.” This led her to deliver workshops with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi and Emirates Nature–WWF, as well as feature in the Naturally Educated podcast.

Three years ago, she launched a project researching and sharing information about one native plant of the UAE every day for a year, 365 plants in total.

Using her social media platforms, she offered the public accessible insights into the often overlooked flora of the region. “Plants are the underdogs of the natural world,” she says. “They don’t make sounds, but there’s so much silent complexity going on.”

As president of the Green Youth Majlis, an initiative by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, Ms Al Dhaen now mentors other young environmentalists, helping them run their own workshops on topics from whale sharks to honeybees.

Driven by curiosity, she even uses a home microscope to explore plant structures, sharing her findings through interactive workshops. “It’s about feeding my curiosity, but also passing that knowledge along,” she says.

Recently, she participated in the IUCN Youth Summit, where she found inspiration in the work of international youth and researchers.

Looking ahead, Ms Al Dhaen hopes to collaborate with universities to publish studies on native flora and improve public education through field workshops and plant ID tools.

The World Conservation Congress – which concludes on October 15 – has brought together about 10,000 delegates from more than 140 countries, including government officials, scientists, campaigners and indigenous leaders, to set the global conservation agenda.

The congress was established in 1948 and has been held in all parts of the world, from Barcelona and Buenos Aires to Nairobi and New Delhi.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Company profile

Name: Steppi

Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic

Launched: February 2020

Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year

Employees: Five

Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai

Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings

Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year

MATCH INFO

CAF Champions League semi-finals first-leg fixtures

Tuesday:

Primeiro Agosto (ANG) v Esperance (TUN) (8pm UAE)
Al Ahly (EGY) v Entente Setif (ALG) (11PM)

Second legs:

October 23

Silent Hill f

Publisher: Konami

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Rating: 4.5/5

Where to buy

Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com

WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

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The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
  • George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
  • Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
  • Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
  • Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills. 
Hunting park to luxury living
  • Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
  • The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
  • Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds

 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here
Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

A little about CVRL

Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.

One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases. 

The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery. 

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 0

Wolves 2 (Traore 80', 90 4')

CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

Updated: October 15, 2025, 1:56 PM