Presentation by Dr. Irina Springuel and film premiere: "The Desert Gardener" by Gabriel Mikhail. It is a tale of conservation and rehabilitation of desert plants. A story of the Russian botanist who dedicated her lifetime to the conservation and cultivation of Egypt’s desert plants. Over the years, the protagonist, has traversed the harsh Egyptian deserts, diligently collecting seeds from various endangered plant species to establish a seed bank to preserve Egypt’s rich flora. Today, in a garden along the Red Sea coast, she now hosts a diverse array of plants, surpassing the dwindling numbers found in the vast Egyptian deserts. The propagation of native plants rather than ones to be brought in from other areas -which are considered invasive- is a keystone to sustainable development. Native plants use less water and insecticides, feeds the local wildlife, are authentic in their setting, show sensitivity to the environment and some are used as medicinal plants. 

Prior to this event we will be welcoming Marsa Alam NGO Red Sea Projects with a group of British students to El Gouna Park and Abydos Mangrove Reserve for birdwatching and learning about mangroves.

Welcoming Marsa Alam based NGO Red Sea Projects and their group of British nature conservation interns to El Gouna.

We visited Abydos Mangrove Reserve to view the mangrove rehabilitation project and wetland birdlife and El Gouna Park.