Hawf nature reserve: Rare respite in war-torn Yemen

AL MAHRA, Yemen — In Yemen's easternmost province, far from the front lines of the war that has devastated the country, the lush greenery of the Hawf nature reserve offers a rare respite.

The years-long conflict between the government and Houthi rebels has not breached the perimeters of Hawf in Al Mahra province. But the area — known as a "fog oasis" in the mostly arid Arabian Peninsula — faces other threats.

Aerial footage of the reserve shows an endless expanse of trees across the landscape of mountains and valleys, with cows roaming freely and the occasional vehicle parked alongside an unpaved road.

"Like many other protected areas in Yemen, the main threats come from the social, governance and economic factors that the conflict has created, rather than the fighting itself," Doug Weir, research and policy director at the UK-based Conflict and Environment Observatory, told AFP.

"In the case of Hawf, the conflict has constrained how the park is managed, and this has knock-on effects for the environment. These include pressure from visitors, overgrazing, overharvesting and hunting."

But for Mohammed Al Ammari, from the neighbouring province of Hadramaut, the nature reserve is a sanctuary where he can go and relax, far from the everyday struggles of war.

Since 2014, Yemen has been embroiled in a conflict that has triggered what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

"Everything here is beautiful," Ammari told AFP. "You feel the nature, you are breathing in the nature."

Sabah Zeid, another local visitor, shared the same sentiment as Ammari as she walked along the green paths.

"It's really the only place in Al Mahra where we can take a long leisurely stroll and enjoy our time with our families," she said.

Both, however, said that the area was in desperate need of maintenance and basic infrastructure such as roads and shops.

According to Weir, any management plan for Hawf must be developed by and for the community if it is to be sustainable and effective.

"It needs to deliver sustainable livelihoods, control development and protect the sensitive ecosystems that will be at risk from a changing climate," he said.