If you live in one of Abu Dhabi’s older neighbourhoods, where trees have existed for decades as silent bystanders to the push-and-pull of daily life, you may have seen shiny metal tags appearing on the trunks of some, announcing their arrival by shimmering in the low sunshine of the winter months. In one area of Mushrif, the tags appeared unannounced overnight. Although, given their relatively discreet nature, they may have been hiding in plain sight for days before the moment of realisation.
The tags are part of a programme overseen by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, which aims to track 100,000 native trees across the emirate, specifically ghaf, sidr and samar species. They are also physical reminders that cities are living organisms and that nature has grown and changed in parallel with the mutable urban landscape it co-exists with.
The ghaf, which was given the status of the UAE’s “national tree” in 2008, is said to have a life span of more than a century, although some examples in West Asia have prospered for hundreds of years in the desert. Samar trees can be found in the country’s wadis and mountainous areas. Sidr trees offer a safe haven to bees. All three are bound by their hardiness and willingness to prosper on hot days and in water-scarce areas.
The tags themselves are small metal plates identifying the species of the native tree, coding it and providing a warning to those who encroach on the natural heritage of the city’s streets. The legal penalty for harming a protected tree is Dh10,000, about $2,700.
For trees that stand on urban verges, or in the gaps between older buildings, they pose a classic question at the heart of the intersection between preservation and change
For those who see that tariff as too high, there are many examples of how much communities can be hurt by violence against nature and helped by its preservation. Consider the 2023 Sycamore Gap tree felling in England, for instance, which made headlines and united communities in grief and anger against such a wilful act of vandalism. We’ve also witnessed how many people drew comfort and joy from the preservation and protection of a 70-year-old ghaf tree in its original place when construction got under way on the Expo 2020 site in Dubai.
Some of Abu Dhabi’s newly tagged trees might be described as more prosaic examples of those species, but maybe the ordinariness of a few of the sample size is also the point.
It takes hundreds of trees to make a forest, some small and some large. A few of that cluster may be arrestingly beautiful, others provide only a few more pixels in the millions that make up our personal vistas. But all are worth saving, preserving and nurturing.
If the tags promote further inquiry or stimulate deeper engagement with the unnoticed constant facets of daily life, then they will have more than fulfilled their purpose. They also signal community, heritage and a significant commitment to preserving traditions.
For those trees that stand on urban verges, or in the gaps between older buildings, they pose a classic question at the heart of the intersection between preservation and change. Tree surgeons will tell you that prudent maintenance is an important part of long and healthy lives. The now untouchable group of trees of the emirate will have to be managed in the medium and longer term, but that will be a task for the experts, rather than the informal squads of enterprising amateurs, who in the past may sometimes have been partial to injudicious intervention.
It is surely no coincidence that the broader project completes the circle from planting to preservation. The past few years have seen, among others, sidr tree planting programmes in Dubai, samar sapling planting schemes in Ras Al Khaimah and, this month, another ghaf tree planting project in Abu Dhabi. The emirate’s municipality said it planted more than 8,000 ghaf trees last year.
The tree tags arrived in my neighbourhood in the week when President Sheikh Mohamed declared 2025 to be the Year of Community, asking all citizens and residents, “all those who call the UAE home”, to help improve their communities. “Hand in hand, we will work together to strengthen social bonds, foster shared responsibility and unlock potential for inclusive and sustainable growth,” he wrote earlier this week.
The initiative is the latest in a lineage that has included the Years of Zayed, Sustainability, Tolerance, Innovation and Reading, as well as preparations for the country’s 50th anniversary in 2021.
It’s easy to form linkages between the Year of Community and neighbourhood-based tree tagging. My instant reaction to the tags was to be charmed and feel connected to something greater. The tags secure the futures of those trees and ensure they will be an integral part of the communities in which they grow for decades to come.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
RESULTS
Welterweight
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)
(Unanimous points decision)
Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
(Second round knockout)
Flyweight (female)
Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
(RSC in third round)
Featherweight
Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki
(Disqualification)
Lightweight
Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)
(Unanimous points)
Featherweight
Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)
(TKO first round)
Catchweight 69kg
Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)
(First round submission by foot-lock)
Catchweight 71kg
Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
(TKO round 1).
Featherweight title (5 rounds)
Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
(TKO round 1).
Lightweight title (5 rounds)
Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)
(RSC round 2).
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
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The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
if you go
The flights
Fly to Rome with Etihad (www.etihad.ae) or Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dh2,480 return including taxes. The flight takes six hours. Fly from Rome to Trapani with Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Dh420 return including taxes. The flight takes one hour 10 minutes.
The hotels
The author recommends the following hotels for this itinerary. In Trapani, Ai Lumi (www.ailumi.it); in Marsala, Viacolvento (www.viacolventomarsala.it); and in Marsala Del Vallo, the Meliaresort Dimore Storiche (www.meliaresort.it).
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Scoreline
UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia
UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’
Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’
Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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