Dubai Municipality has launched the Greenery and Plantation Manual 2026, a new framework for planning, designing and maintaining green and open spaces across the emirate. The manual sets out a common approach for future landscaping projects while backing Dubai’s wider environmental goals.
The new framework covers different types of green spaces, including parks, green corridors and landscaped public areas. It is designed to make these spaces more sustainable and better suited to Dubai’s climate and urban environment.
The manual also ties into the direction set by the Dubai Parks and Greenery Strategy 2040 and the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. Together, these plans aim to improve the quality and availability of green spaces as Dubai keeps growing.
Sustainability at the Centre of Landscape Planning
One of the standout features of the Greenery and Plantation Manual 2026 is its focus on sustainability. The framework pushes for landscape designs that use resources more efficiently while still keeping outdoor spaces attractive and functional.
Water efficiency plays a big part in this, especially given Dubai’s hot and dry climate. The manual offers guidance on sustainable irrigation and other methods that can help cut down unnecessary water use in landscaped areas.
The framework also covers surface-water management, helping landscape projects factor in how water moves through and is managed within outdoor spaces. These measures can support the long-term performance of Dubai’s green infrastructure.
Greater Focus on Native and Adaptive Plants
Plant selection is another key part of the new manual. It pushes for the use of native and adaptive plant species that are better suited to local environmental conditions.
Choosing plants that can adapt to Dubai’s climate helps cut down on maintenance while improving the long-term sustainability of landscaped areas. It can also lead to more resilient green spaces as the emirate continues to develop.
The approach goes beyond just adding more plants to urban areas. It is really about picking the right vegetation for each location and building landscapes that hold up well over time.
Supporting Biodiversity in Dubai
The Greenery and Plantation Manual 2026 also aims to strengthen biodiversity across Dubai. Better planning of plants and green areas can create more suitable environments for different forms of urban wildlife.
Biodiversity is becoming an increasingly important part of sustainable city planning. Well-designed parks, green corridors and planted public spaces can help connect different natural areas and bring ecological benefits to an expanding urban environment.
The manual treats greenery as more than just a visual feature. Green infrastructure can contribute to healthier, more balanced urban environments while also improving the experience of people using public spaces.
Helping Reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect
Dubai’s urban environment can get pretty hot, particularly in areas where buildings, roads and other hard surfaces soak up and hold onto heat. Increasing well-planned greenery can help tackle this urban heat island effect.
Trees, plants and landscaped areas provide shade and help create more comfortable outdoor environments. Where and how they are placed can shape how public spaces feel during Dubai’s warmer months.
The new manual takes this wider environmental role into account, with guidance aimed at improving the long-term performance of green infrastructure while supporting a more comfortable and sustainable urban environment.
A Place-Based Approach to Green Spaces
Dubai has a wide range of landscapes and environments, so one single approach to landscaping would not work equally well everywhere. The new manual follows a place-based approach, letting landscape planning respond to the specific characteristics of different locations.
The framework takes coastal, urban, desert, rural and mountainous environments into account. That means future landscaping projects can be planned around local conditions instead of relying on the same design and planting methods everywhere.
This approach also helps make sure new public spaces reflect the environmental and cultural character of their surroundings, connecting landscape design with the identity of each area while keeping sustainability front and centre.
Green Corridors and Public Spaces
Green corridors are among the areas covered by the new framework. These spaces help connect parks, landscaped areas and other parts of Dubai’s green infrastructure.
When planned as part of a wider network, green spaces can offer benefits that go beyond individual parks. They improve connectivity, support biodiversity and give residents and visitors more chances to experience nature within the city.
The manual is meant to guide these developments over the long haul, with principles that can shape how green corridors and other landscaped public spaces are planned as Dubai continues to expand.
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Supporting Dubai’s 2040 Urban Vision
The Greenery and Plantation Manual 2026 is part of Dubai’s broader effort to prepare the city for future growth. Its alignment with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan places green infrastructure firmly within the emirate’s wider urban development strategy.
The Dubai Parks and Greenery Strategy 2040 also provides an important framework for increasing and improving green spaces. The new manual gives landscape planners and developers practical guidance that supports these broader goals.
As Dubai keeps developing new neighbourhoods, public spaces and infrastructure, sustainable landscape planning will only become more important. The manual offers a unified framework to help make sure greenery stays a key part of that development.
Long-Term Maintenance and Performance
Creating a green space is only the first step. Parks and landscaped areas also need proper maintenance to stay healthy, attractive and resource-efficient over many years.
That is why the Greenery and Plantation Manual 2026 covers long-term maintenance of green and open spaces alongside planning and design. This focus helps make sure sustainability stays part of the picture throughout the life of a landscape project.
By bringing design, plant selection, irrigation and maintenance together under one framework, Dubai Municipality aims to improve the overall performance of the emirate’s green infrastructure.