NEOM Trojena Valley/Wadi
The mountain range, paralleling the Gulf of Aqaba, is called the Medyan Mountains (several spelling variations). The mountains are west of the inland (Tabuk based) high plateau of the Hebedat Hisma with its distinctive high multi-colored layered sandstone hills and underneath, Saudi ‘s large aquifer called the Saq. The Medyan Mountains are a northern continuation of the southern Hejaz mountain range paralleling the Red Sea in western Saudi Arabia. The NEOM Trojena mountain peaks, as there is more than one, of the Jebel Al Lawz (several spelling variations) are known as the ‘Mountains of Almonds’ after the (IUCN Red List) rare almond trees (prunus korshinski). The location of the proposed lake is surprisingly within the Wadi Lakus, excuse my translation, makes me wonder if indeed there was a lake after the last glaciation. The distinctive pink and grey granites emplaced 500–800 million years ago were torn apart only 20–25 million years ago by the formation of the Gulf of Aqaba, separating modern day Arabian (Sharma) and Sinai (Sharm el-Sheikh) Peninsulas. The granites of the Lawz complex have been polished by a retreating glacier dragging captured boulders across the wadi (valley) faces. The climate has changed dramatically, especially in the last two hundred years, and today is dominated by hot dry summers and dust storms (Shamals), although the western area is less affected than in the east, around Riyadh. Saharan (tropical) cyclones can travel north to Saudi Arabia, however with climate change and the warming of the Mediterranean, it is likely (IPCC SAR) that these cyclones will increase in size and intensity and cause greater havoc on landfall.
Jebel Al Lawz is an important bird area (IBA), especially raptors e.g., Bearded and Eqyptian Vultures, steppe and greater spotted eagles, saker and sooty falcons; important plant area (IPA) e.g., rare almond, and potentially high conservation priority (HCP) Arabian Leopard, which it is hoped can be bred here, as well as a key biodiversity (habitat) area (KBA). It is proposed that it become an IPA Strict Nature Reserve and World Heritage Site Proposed Bioclimatic Refugia.
This special area could become the centre of a National Park/Reserve and World Heritage Site of international importance.