ALEC and Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi sign three-year mangrove hydrology pilot

ALEC Engineering and Contracting, part of Dubai-based ALEC Holdings, has signed a three-year agreement with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi to support a mangrove hydrological restoration pilot in the UAE capital. EIN Presswire reported the agreement on October 19, 2026.

How the Mangrove Pilot Will Work

The three-year project will explore whether restoring the natural hydrological conditions of a mangrove area in need of restoration can help the ecosystem return to long-term ecological health. The initiative will examine the underlying conditions required to secure the future health and resilience of Abu Dhabi's mangrove habitats.

EAD will lead the scientific planning and implementation of the project, including site selection, ecological and hydrological assessments, identification of the required restoration interventions, and the monitoring and reporting of project outcomes. The pilot will establish baseline information for the selected site and track progress against defined restoration and biodiversity indicators.

Findings are expected to strengthen scientific understanding of mangrove hydrology in Abu Dhabi and help inform the planning of future ecosystem restoration initiatives. The project supports the science-led restoration objectives of the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative and complements the UAE's national climate and biodiversity targets.

Maitha Mohamed Al Hameli, Acting Executive Director, Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, said: "We welcome ALEC's support for this pilot, which reflects the kind of long-term, science-based commitment the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative was established to encourage. The findings will strengthen our understanding of how mangrove sites respond to restored hydrological conditions and will inform how we plan future restoration in the emirate."

Sean McQue, Managing Director - ALEC, said: "As our first biodiversity restoration investment, the project enables us to contribute directly to the protection and restoration of Abu Dhabi's mangrove ecosystems, while supporting a science-led approach that will generate measurable biodiversity outcomes."

ALEC's Earlier Mangrove Pledge

Earlier this year, ALEC signed the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative Partners Pledge, committing to support the conservation and restoration of mangroves and other blue carbon ecosystems, advance science-based restoration, and reduce its impact on nature. The partnership marks ALEC's first flagship nature restoration investment with measurable biodiversity outcomes and forms part of its broader commitment to integrating biodiversity considerations into its sustainability strategy.

ALEC's Recent Project and Partnership Record

According to akta.pro company records, ALEC launched Loadgate, a proprietary construction logistics management tool, at Dubai Municipality's Building Dubai's Future of Construction 2026 event in March 2026. The same records show ALEC Holdings completed its IPO on the Dubai Financial Market in October 2025, listing 20% of share capital and raising AED 1.4 billion.

Earlier ALEC Partnerships This Year

In August 2026, ALEC Holdings reported a 67.6% year-on-year increase in H1-2026 revenue to nearly AED 9.0bn, with a closing backlog of AED 32.5bn across the UAE and KSA, LogisticsGulf reported. In July 2026, AtkinsRéalis and ALEC announced a partnership to deliver Sphere Abu Dhabi, scheduled to open in 2029 on Yas Island, with AtkinsRéalis as design consultant and ALEC handling construction, AETOSWire reported. In June 2026, ALEC Holdings signed an MoU with Al Noor Training Centre to sponsor a classroom of 10 students for one academic year, committing AED135,000, Zawya reported.