Registration for winter camping from October 22 to 31

Winter camping season

For the upcoming six-month winter camping season of 2023-24, registration will commence on October 22, ending on October 31 for all approved areas. Interested parties can register online via the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) website. The camping season kicks off on November 1, 2023, and wraps up on April 30, 2024.

This information was unveiled in a recent press conference by MoECC. Salem Hussein Al Safran, the Director of Natural Reserves at MoECC, detailed the three-phased registration process:

• Central regions: October 22-24
• Southern regions: October 25-27
• Northern regions: October 28-31

For those preferring face-to-face registration, MoECC will cater to this at committee offices in camping areas nationwide from October 22-31, alongside online registration. Additionally, from November 1-10, 2023, in-person registration at external MoECC departments will be available for any remaining spots.

Mohammed Ahmed Al Dahi, MoECC’s Director of Public Relations and Communications, stressed that once an application is approved, fees must be settled within six hours. Failure to do so will invalidate the application, necessitating re-registration. He also mentioned updated camping requirements for the forthcoming season, aligning with MoECC's commitment to environmental preservation.

Reiterating the significance of conservation, Al Dahi expressed that every Qatari citizen or resident has a responsibility towards preserving the nation's unique biodiversity.

Touching upon camping regulations, Fawzi Al Shamari, who heads the winter camping team, noted that repeated location requests from the previous season depend on site availability and application priority. He warned that non-compliance with the ministry's conditions can lead to camp removal or even permit revocation.

Al Shamari concluded by stating that permit holders should only possess one permit and must grant MoECC inspectors access to their camp for verification. Denying an inspection can result in permit termination. During the camp setup, a ministry inspector must be present for coordination.