On Tuesday, 10 October 2023, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) announced the opening of online registration for the annual Winter Camping Season for the year 2023-2024. Registration will take place between 22 and 31 October 2023. Winter Camping Season will begin on Nov. 1, 2023, and end on April 30, 2024.
During a press conference held on this occasion, the Ministry explained that registration processes will take place in three separate stages: registration for the central regions will take place from 22 - 24 October, registration for the southern regions from 25 - 27 October, while registration for the northern regions will take place from 28 - 31 October 2023.
According to Mohammed Ahmed Al Dahi, Director of Public Relations and Communications Department at the MoECC, the application process will be conducted using its official website, provided that the permit holder pays the permit fee within (6) hours of receiving the text message confirming approval. In this case, the application will be considered invalid and will need to be re-registered.
According to him, the Ministry has updated the conditions and obligations related to the camping process in all regions of the country as part of its commitment to ensure that this year's season is sustainable, to protect the local environment, and to preserve the diverse and distinct plant cover it contains.
All campers and desert enthusiasts should emphasize the importance of conserving the environment and safeguarding its natural resources. He emphasized the importance of adhering to the conditions and regulations of the new Winter Camping Season 2023/2024. Regulations include following designated coordinates for each camp and maintaining certain distances between camps, manors, farms, and villages. Ministry teams will actively monitor the implementation of these conditions throughout the day to ensure success of the camping season while preserving the local environment without adversely impacting the fauna and flora.
A person's request to retain the same camping site as the previous season is based on the availability of the site and the priority of applying for it, according to Fawzi Al Shammari, head of the MoECC's winter camping team. The competent authority can remove the camp if it violates any of the Ministry's conditions, noting that the MoECC can withdraw the environmental permit if the permittee does not comply.
The permit holders cannot obtain more than one permit and must allow inspectors from the relevant authority to inspect the camp when requested to ensure compliance with the permit conditions. The relevant authority can withdraw the permit if the inspection is denied. In addition to adhering to the designated camping area and staying away from roads and valleys, he stressed the importance of complying with environmental laws and regulations.
According to Al Shammari, permit holders must start setting up their camps during the camping period in coordination with the ministry's inspector, who must be present during the setup. As the permit is considered personal, renting or transferring the site is not permitted. Additionally, the permit cannot be used for activities other than those authorized or for materials that are harmful to the environment. The speaker emphasized the importance of maintaining general cleanliness, avoiding harm to the wilderness or marine environment, ensuring that the camp is occupied and well-maintained, and disposing of waste appropriately.
Using main roads and cars suitable for the size of the cabins is important to avoid accidents, according to Colonel Jaber Mohamed Rashid Odaiba, Assistant Director of Traffic Awareness Department at the Ministry of Interior. He stressed the importance of adhering to security and safety conditions when transporting cabins and "caravans," and transporting them after eight in the evening to avoid accidents.
As part of his advice, he stressed the need to maintain cabins and "caravans" and ensure their readiness and safety before transportation, as well as obtaining permission from the Patrol Department in the Maamoura area to transport large cabins under the supervision of the Traffic Department in order to ensure the road's safety.