Wadi Al-Buhair remains open to public
Wadi Al-Buhair remains open to the public and has not been shut by the Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Ministry or any other authority, Southern Municipal Council chairman Abdullah Abdul Latif has said.
He spoke after questions were raised over access to the valley, where plans call for building to be kept away while residents are given paths, lighting and traditional cafés.
‘Wadi Al-Buhair is not closed,’ Mr Abdul Latif told The Daily Tribune. ‘Photographers can go there and take pictures.’
He said fewer people had visited over the past couple of months because of the hot summer weather, rather than because anyone had barred entry.
Parts of the wadi’s rocky hills and terrain were ordered to be treated as a nature reserve in 2022, with the land protected from urban development.
Mr Abdul Latif said the move was meant to keep construction away rather than stop people entering.
Migratory and resident birds use the wetland, which lies between East Riffa and Sanad. Storks and gulls are among the birds seen there.
The area is also known for old limestone formations and fossils, with environmental studies putting parts of its geology at about 45 million years old.
Mr Abdul Latif wants the valley kept as a haven for birds while making it easier for residents to walk through and spend time there.
Plans include paths, lighting and traditional cafés.
He also called on banks and large firms to help pay for tree planting and work on green spaces.
‘It can become a lung for the area,’ he said.
A retention pond in the area also receives water from nearby freshwater aquifers, with aerators used to keep the water moving and curb stagnation and odour.
The aim is to stop standing water from collecting near homes and becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Mr Abdul Latif said he wanted the valley kept green, its water problems dealt with and its paths opened to residents.
He cited Bahrain’s target of three million trees, saying Wadi Al-Buhair should remain green and free from building.
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