Launching Juthoor: A Citizen Science Initiative Rooted in Community and Nature

On 28 January 2026, Nuwat announced its newest citizen science programme named, Juthoor, a community powered programme designed to document Bahrain’s natural terrestrial landscapes and reconnect people with nature through citizen science, shared learning and collective stewardship.

The word “Juthoor” (جذور) means “roots.” It reflects the philosophy at the heart of the initiative: reconnecting with the roots of place, culture and ecological knowledge while nurturing a community that actively contributes to understanding and protecting the natural world.

A Strong Start

Interest in the program exceeded expectations with over 40 applications received from individuals eager to participate and engage more deeply with Bahrain’s ecosystems and contribute to community-based environmental knowledge.

A total of 28 participants joined us for the kick-off meeting on 16 February 2026 which was held at Bahrain Fort Museum’s auditorium, where the vision, aims and objectives of Juthoor were shared along with discussions on how participants can play a role in strengthening biodiversity knowledge in Bahrain.

The session marked the beginning of what we hope will become a growing network of citizen scientists and nature stewards across the Kingdom.

Why Juthoor Matters

Accessible ecological data about Bahrain’s terrestrial ecosystems remains extremely limited. Juthoor aims to help address this gap by encouraging community participation in observing and documenting nature following scientific methods. Through this initiative, participants will contribute to several key goals including:

1. Building baseline biodiversity data

Even the simplest observations of plants, animals and landscapes can help establish much-needed baseline information about Bahrain’s terrestrial biodiversity.

2. Understanding desert ecosystems

Observations collected by participants will help reveal patterns of life across Bahrain’s deserts and natural landscapes, improving our understanding of how species interact with these environments.

3. Supporting national environmental planning

Community observations can help inform future research, spatial mapping efforts and environmental decision-making processes.

4. Fostering citizen science

Juthoor also aims to cultivate a community of individuals who are curious about nature and motivated to contribute to biodiversity knowledge and conservation.

Science Rooted in Community

At Nuwat, we believe that protecting ecosystems requires a combination between scientific research and public participation plus shared stewardship. Citizen science initiatives like Juthoor help bridge the gap between science and society by enabling people to take part in documenting biodiversity and learning about the ecosystems around them.

Through the program, participants will have opportunities to engage in field excursions, ecological discussions and nature observation activities, all aimed at strengthening our collective understanding of Bahrain’s landscapes.

Returning to Our Roots

The launch of Juthoor represents an important step in Nuwat’s mission to combine scientific knowledge, local understanding, and community engagement to protect Bahrain’s natural heritage.

By bringing people together around a shared curiosity for nature, we hope to nurture a community that listens to the land, learns from it, and contributes to safeguarding its biodiversity for future generations.

This is only the beginning.

As the Juthoor community grows, we look forward to walking this journey together, rooted in place, guided by curiosity and inspired by nature.