It preserves an area of a type of wetland (sabkha or salt plain) once common along the western coastal plains of the UAE and consists of a visitor centre with viewing points to both captive and wild birds, as well as extensive areas of dunes, mud flats, salty lagoons and freshwater pools.

[1] The centre, which was opened in 2015 by the ruler of Sharjah, Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, is operated by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority of Sharjah Government and conducts golf-buggy tours around the extensive preservation area, which features a number of hides or observation points.

[8] Designed by X-Architects of Dubai[9][10] in 2012, and completed in 2015,[11] the building integrates into the site's topography to blend into its environment with minimal visual impact.

It transformed close to 20 acres of a former wasteland into a pleasant place for visitors to enjoy Nature while simultaneously recovering the native ecosystem.

[6] The centre is dedicated to environmental education,[7] helping visitors understand biodiversity and their environment[7] while providing a "green lung" for Sharjah residents.