Baghdad Municipality launches ‘Baghdad Plants’ campaign to greenify the city

BAGHDAD — The Baghdad Municipality has kicked off its spring campaign, “Baghdad Plants,” with an ambitious goal to plant one million trees and shrubs to expand green spaces throughout the city.

“The ‘Baghdad Plants’ spring campaign was launched to plant one million trees and shrubs and increase green spaces in the capital,” said Mohammed Al-Rubaie, director of relations and media at the Baghdad Municipality to the state‑owned channel Al‑Iraqiya. “It will cover all areas of Baghdad, and we have already planted several trees and shrubs that were prepared for this season.”

Initially set to begin 15 days ago, the project was delayed due to persistent rainfall and the observance of Ramadan. “The campaign will continue until mid‑May to ensure the largest possible coverage of green spaces,” Al‑Rubaie said.

The first phase kicked off on Wednesday in the Al‑Ghadeer area, covering 2.5 dunams (0.62 acres) of land. “Tomorrow, the campaign will expand to include all municipal districts in the capital,” he added. However, Al‑Rubaie noted that some plantings have been postponed because heavy rain is expected, which could damage the new vegetation.

Baghdad faces significant challenges in increasing its green areas. “Currently, the city does not have large tracts of land ready for planting, except for Baghdad’s forests, which have been offered for investment by a company,” Al‑Rubaie explained. “There is an ongoing plan to develop 5,000 dunams (1,235 acres) in the former Rasheed Camp area as part of a strategic effort to establish a sustainable green environment.”

In the meantime, the municipality is focusing on expanding grassy areas, rehabilitating Baghdad’s airport road, and executing seasonal tree‑planting projects. “We are working to increase planted areas and enhance green spaces across the capital,” Al‑Rubaie said.

On Aug. 20, 2024, the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture said that over the past 18 months, more than 6.4 million trees have been planted nationwide—surpassing the initial target of five million set by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al‑Sudani.