Free seedling initiative to restore green spaces

Retired journalist promotes urban gardening in Baghdad

2024-07-31 | 23:05

BAGHDAD – Walking around his small nursery in central Baghdad, Abdul Karim Abbas waters the plants amid the simmering heat. Donning a flat cap, he carefully checks each plant to ensure they are in good condition.

This is, however, no ordinary nursery. A retired journalist and educator Abbas is providing free plant seedlings to individuals and institutions to promote urban and suburban gardening. He started the first free nursery in Baghdad, has chosen the garden of the Khilani Mosque in Baghdad as the permanent location for his project. His goal is to restore and expand Iraq’s green spaces.

“We are fighting for the climate, and for a greener environment,” says Abbas proudly about the nursery’s objectives. “Desertification is a real danger for Iraq.”

Abbas funds his project by working various difficult jobs. His nursery displays slogans such as “Together for a Greener Iraq,” “Together for Climate Justice,” and “With Our Awareness, We Fight Desertification.” Inspirational sayings are also posted, including the Chinese proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”

Since opening his nursery about four years ago, Abbas has distributed thousands of seedlings to citizens and government institutions. He uses special occasions and holidays to remind people of the importance of planting to combat global warming, an issue that significantly affects Iraq.

Coming from a farming background, Abbas understands the impact of losing urban trees and green spaces. His free nursery project, funded out of his own pocket, aims to help restore these lost green areas.

Desertification affects 39 percent of Iraq’s land, with high temperatures, frequent droughts, and intensified dust storms becoming the norm. Recent years have seen a decline in rainfall and the drying up of rivers, causing thousands of acres to become dry and barren.

“I am with obligatory decision by the government,” Abbas told 964media. “Each graduating or promoted officer should be obligated to plant a palm tree as part of their advancement, and each master’s or doctoral student should be mandated to plant a tree upon completing their studies.”

Abbas believes environmental security is a “shared responsibility” between the government and citizens. He donates seedlings to institutions, including the Baghdad Municipality, for free distribution and planting.

To keep his nursery open, Abbas often works labor-intensive jobs to cover the project’s costs. Despite financial challenges, he remains committed to his dream of restoring Iraq’s vegetation.

Abbas aspires to see Iraq plant 10 billion trees in the coming years. This, he believes, will gradually increase the number of trees and raise awareness of the importance of environmental security.

Last March, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani announced an initiative at the Iraq Climate Conference to plant five million trees and palm trees nationwide. This effort is part of the first national guide for urban forestation, aimed at combating desertification and dust storms.