ALEC Engineering and Contracting has signed an agreement with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi to run a three-year mangrove hydrological restoration pilot, the first of its kind in the emirate.
The project will examine whether reinstating natural hydrological conditions at a selected mangrove site can support the ecosystem’s recovery. EAD will lead all scientific planning, including site selection, ecological and hydrological assessments, and the definition of restoration interventions. Progress will be tracked against baseline biodiversity and restoration indicators established at the outset.
Findings from the pilot are intended to strengthen the scientific understanding of mangrove hydrology in Abu Dhabi and feed into future ecosystem restoration planning. The initiative sits within the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative and is framed as supporting the UAE’s national climate and biodiversity targets.
“We welcome ALEC’s support for this pilot, which reflects the kind of long-term, science-based commitment the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative was established to encourage. The findings will strengthen our understanding of how mangrove sites respond to restored hydrological conditions and will inform how we plan future restoration in the emirate. Through this pilot, we aim to build the scientific evidence needed for long-term solutions that safeguard Abu Dhabi’s mangroves, a defining feature of the emirate’s natural heritage,” Maitha Mohamed Al Hameli, Acting Executive Director, Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi said in a statement.
“Abu Dhabi is a capital defined by extraordinary ambition, creating next-generation cultural and visitor experiences while protecting the natural heritage that gives the emirate its identity. For ALEC, this partnership is an important step in turning our commitment to nature into tangible action. As our first biodiversity restoration investment, the project enables us to contribute directly to the protection and restoration of Abu Dhabi’s mangrove ecosystems, while supporting a science-led approach that will generate measurable biodiversity outcomes. Through this pilot, we are supporting the development of the knowledge, evidence and practical understanding needed to help these vital ecosystems recover and thrive. In doing so, we are proud to support Abu Dhabi’s ambition to protect its natural heritage and contribute to a more resilient future for the emirate,” Sean McQue, Managing Director – ALEC added.
Beyond the scientific programme, the collaboration will open employee volunteering opportunities across the ALEC Holdings group, including citizen-science monitoring and environmental education activities.
The agreement was signed following the fourth annual Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative Partners Meeting, held on 8 October 2026 at Rixos Saadiyat Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Earlier in 2026, ALEC had signed the Mangrove Initiative Partners Pledge, committing to conservation, science-based restoration, and reducing the company’s impact on natural habitats.
