To make Qatar greener, residents urged to create roof gardens

Bougainvillea, a common plant used in gardens in Qatar

Residents in Qatar with a roof space to spare are being encouraged to fill it with trees and plants to help make the country more green.

The initiative is being spearheaded by the the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), which has planted 255 trees on the roof of its own building to help jumpstart the campaign.

The ministry hopes that residents will be inspired to follow suit, planting trees in pots and watering them through drip irrigation techniques.

The MME has planted 255 trees on the roof of its office

The MME has shared an interview with the Public Parks Department Director (in Arabic) to spread awareness of the campaign.

Greater good

In the film on the MME’s YouTube channel, Mohammed al Khouri said most roofs are currently only home to water tanks and air conditioning units.

However, he added that they can be turned into green spaces with minimum effort and zero impact on the building itself.

If residents in every neighborhood planted trees on their rooftops, it would have have a “collective positive impact” on the environment, he said.

School gardens

The MME’s initiative follows a competition held by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SCDL) last year about sustainability.

At the time, the SCDL awarded a prize to a group of students from the International School of London Qatar, who spent months converting the roof of one of their buildings into a green oasis, growing ornamental plants, flowers and even produce.