Volunteers launch campaign to plant 3,000 trees in Suq Al-Shuyukh

DHI QAR — Volunteers in Suq Al-Shuyukh district, Dhi Qar, have launched an effort to plant over 3,000 trees and have addressed concerns over the long-term care and watering of the saplings.

A team of volunteers, including teachers, lawyers, university professors, and postgraduates, struck an agreement with Al-Baqee Contracting Company, which has agreed to water the saplings for two months.

In addition, the local municipality has committed to continue watering the trees through the summer using water trucks and providing saplings, as well as assisting with personnel and a drill for planting.

The United Nations has ranked Iraq as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change, facing significant risks from water scarcity, drought, and extreme temperatures.

“We have launched a major planting campaign today to green our city,” volunteer Ali Al-Mushrefawi told 964media. “We found a solution for the irrigation issue by partnering with Al-Baqee Contracting Company, which will water the saplings for two months. We hope the municipality will ensure the watering continues until next summer.”

The initiative began with planting trees along the road connecting Suq Al-Shuyukh to Nasiriyah. The campaign is expected to last several days, aiming to plant 3,000 saplings in various locations.

“The campaign will continue for several days, with the aim of combating desertification in the district. It is our duty as young people to follow up on volunteer efforts that benefit our city,” another volunteer, Hassan Ghani, told 964media.

Ahmed Ubaid, director of the Suq Al-Shuyukh Municipality, expressed his gratitude to the volunteers and Al-Baqee Company. “We are grateful to the youth of Suq Al-Shuyukh and Al-Baqee Company for their initiative. The municipality has a comprehensive plan to ensure the trees are watered regularly. The parks department will take charge of watering, and since there is no nearby water source on the main road, we will use water trucks.”

The municipality also contributed to the campaign by providing a drill, saplings, and staff to assist with the planting. This local effort is part of a broader national autumn planting campaign, which involves planting trees in parks, streets, schools, and government buildings across the country.

On August 20, the Ministry of Agriculture reported that over 6.4 million trees had been planted in the last 18 months as part of the “Iraq for Climate” initiative, launched in March 2023.

Green spaces in Iraq have declined sharply in recent years due to factors such as urban sprawl, insufficient environmental policies, and the impacts of climate change. In Baghdad, green areas have dropped from around 50% to just 17%, largely due to uncontrolled real estate development and poor urban planning.

In early June, Baghdad’s Mayor Ammar Musa Kadhim announced a major project to convert the Al-Rasheed military base into forests and recreational zones. Covering 5,000 dunums (1,235 acres), it will be the largest project of its kind in Iraq.