From A Trickle To A Forest

During a recent trip to Jebel Hafeet, I was scanning the barren hills with my binoculars for any sign of Egyptian vultures, which have a permanent colony there.

This sand and limestone hill is barren with the exception of a few species of sturdy shrubs and herbs, a few grasses and wild capers.

I failed to notice any vultures but saw traces of water dripping from a pipe on the side of a hill. The water possibly came from a nearby government transmitter and radar station.

I walked down through runnels formed of loosened rocks to reach the spot and was amazed to see a unique growth of plants that are rarely seen on Jebel Hafeet.

These even included a pomegranate plant in bloom. Most interesting of all was nearly a dozen edible fig trees (Ficus carica) forming a column.

At its base many smaller plants formed an impenetrable thicket. The trees had lush green leaves with many branches, giving them an oval shape.

The whole series of big and small plants formed a kind of forest for about 50 metres along a dry wadi bed, and reminded me of a miniature version of a ‘gallery forest’ along the banks of rivers in tropical Africa.

Whether deliberate or unintentional, let the water drip and nourish this mini forest.