A view of palm trees and greenery in Baghdad with the Iraqi flag in the center. §
Baghdad says preparations underway for 5,000-dunam sustainable forest project
BAGHDAD — Baghdad’s Karrada Municipality said Tuesday that preparations are underway for the city’s sustainable forest project, with planting scheduled to begin in October.
Jassim Mohammed, director general of the municipality, said the project is being developed on the grounds of the former Rasheed military camp, covering 5,000 dunams, and has been contracted to a company for design and implementation. “The project includes green spaces, the planting of one million perennial trees, in addition to recreational, service, and educational areas, as well as artificial lakes fed by the Tigris River,” he told the state news agency.
Mohammed said work is ongoing at two sites, one near Baghdad Grand Bridge and another alongside Mohammed al-Qasim Highway. “A large area of about 150,000 square meters has been leveled, rubble removed, and the site fenced. It is now ready for soil replacement and irrigation systems,” he said.
He added that agricultural work will begin in October, with the project expected to take about 10 years to complete in multiple phases. “The first stage includes planting green fields and establishing a public park,” he said.
The forest project was formally launched in December 2024 by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who described it as the first of its kind in Iraq and one of the largest in the region. Covering more than 12 million square meters, it is planned to include 28 forested areas with different activities, one million trees, and infrastructure for tourism, recreation, and education.
Al-Sudani said the initiative is intended to balance Iraq’s housing needs with environmental priorities. “Housing is a priority in the government’s program, but not at the expense of green areas inside Baghdad,” he said at the time. He added that new residential cities, such as Ali al-Wardi and al-Jawahiri, will be built on the outskirts of the capital with large allocations of green space.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the project is expected to create 80,000 jobs and provide a major environmental boost to Baghdad, which suffers from sprawling urbanization, pollution, and a shortage of urban green space.