300 Plants Cultivated with a 100% Success Rate
Zain Continues Supporting the Sustainability of the National “Malloul”
Oak Tree in Yarmouk Forests
Irbid, 11th of May 2026: Zain Jordan continued its efforts to support environmental protection, biodiversity, and natural resources by enhancing the sustainability of the national “Malloul” oak tree in Yarmouk Forest Reserve, considered a national symbol and natural heritage site in Jordan. This comes as part of the company’s ongoing partnership with The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), through which the company recently organized a volunteer day involving its employees to plant trees in the designated “Zain” area within the reserve.
This collaboration builds on the agreement signed between both parties in 2024, which focuses on rehabilitating the forests of the Yarmouk Forest Reserve and enhancing their sustainability in one of the most prominent natural environments in northern Jordan. The reserve is distinguished by its rich biodiversity and deciduous oak forests, in addition to its importance as a major migratory bird corridor and habitat for various living species. These efforts come in response to a number of environmental challenges facing the reserve, most notably overgrazing that exceeds the ecosystem’s carrying capacity, negatively impacting the natural regeneration of oak trees, alongside practices such as logging and the spread of invasive plant species. This necessitates sustainable interventions to preserve ecological balance and ensure the continuity of these vital ecosystems. The reserve extends across the far northwestern part of Jordan in Irbid Governorate over an area of approximately 20.5 square kilometers and is classified as one of the Important Bird Areas in the Middle East by BirdLife International. It also falls within the Mediterranean climate zone, which further enhances its environmental richness and biodiversity.
This initiative forms part of a series of ongoing efforts implemented over the past two years, during which the company allocated a dedicated “Zain” area within the reserve to rehabilitate the most degraded sections of the deciduous oak (Malloul) ecosystem. A 10-square kilometers fenced area was established, allowing precise identification of intervention sites through the use of remote sensing technologies, particularly in addressing invasive plant species. The project also included integrated environmental interventions such as planting seeds and seedlings in carefully selected microhabitats, utilizing the “Cocoon” agricultural technology, and establishing an irrigation system based on drip irrigation and water harvesting. Work was also carried out to rehabilitate the ground layer within the fenced area by distributing rocks to reduce soil erosion and adding enhanced soil supported with organic fertilizer to create a suitable environment for plant growth. Zain also regularly organizes volunteer campaigns involving its employees to support planting and maintenance activities at the site.
These efforts resulted in the cultivation of 300 plant samples using three main approaches, including planting 100 seeds of deciduous oak acorns, planting 100 seedlings of oak, carob, and Atlas and Palestinian pistachio trees directly into the soil, in addition to planting 100 seedlings of the same species using the “Cocoon” agricultural technology. Periodic monitoring showed that the overall success rate reached approximately 69%, while Cocoon technology achieved the highest success rate of 100%, followed by seed planting at 67%, compared to 40% for traditional seedling planting methods.
These results confirm the effectiveness of adopting innovative agricultural solutions that contribute to increasing tree survival rates and improving growth, especially in light of challenges related to climate change and water scarcity, ultimately supporting the development of more efficient forest rehabilitation methods.
The project’s impact is not limited to the environmental aspect alone but also extends to supporting the sustainability of Jordanian forests and reinforcing the role of nature reserves in protecting biodiversity, in addition to empowering surrounding local communities through development initiatives linked to natural resources. Zain is committed to implementing afforestation programs regularly throughout the year across various governorates in the Kingdom, with the company having planted approximately 18,800 trees to date. In addition, Zain continues to support farmers and their lands in ways that contribute to enhancing environmental and economic sustainability in the Kingdom, with the number of farmers supported by the company reaching 58 farmers so far.
