His Majesty King Abdullah II inaugurated the second phase of the Royal Botanic Garden in Tal Al Rumman on Wednesday.

Built on a total area of 1,782 dunums, the Royal Botanic Garden includes more than 600 species of plants, in addition to a nursery with a production capacity of 100,000 seedlings per year.

His Majesty toured the garden and its facilities, and was briefed by Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Ali, founder of the Royal Botanic Garden, on its role in preserving native wild plants and the right to use those plants, promoting scientific research, and optimising the use of natural resources.

Princess Basma bint Ali also highlighted the garden’s community development role through the creation of job opportunities for the local community, with a focus on empowering local women and engaging them in economic activities.

The Royal Botanic Garden, founded in 2005, is home to the Global Hub for Natural Habitat Restoration in West Asia and North Africa.

The garden is also home to pioneering environmental projects, such as the Jordan National Herbarium, which preserves more than 7,000 herbarium specimens of local plants, and a seed bank to preserve plants for up to 10 years.

Several Royal family members, Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, and a number of officials attended the inauguration.