Kurdistan Region boasts five distinct species of oak trees

ERBIL, January 3 — Five distinct varieties of oak tree have been officially identified in the Kurdistan Region according to environmental activist Delband Rawanduzi, who outlined the recognition in a recently published essay titled “Recovering Oak Forests to Combat Climate Change.”

Rawanduzi explained to 964 that oak trees are pivotal for soil conservation and each tree is able to absorb nearly 21 kilograms of carbon dioxide each year.

Notably, the older trees are more effective at absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmoshphere, underscoring their importance in forest ecosystems, especially for diverse species inhabiting these areas.

“In the Kurdistan Region, five distinct types of oak trees has been officially acknowledged: Quercus aegilops, Quercus libani, Quercus infectoria, Quercus macranthera, and mix between infectoria and macranthera. Each of these oak tree varieties exhibits unique growth characteristics and features,” Rawanduzi said.

“Notably, macranthera, or the Caucasian Oak – locally referred to as ‘shadar’ or the ‘king tree’ – has been identified as a species facing the threat of extinction. Regrettably, only a limited number of these trees remain, confined to the Hassan Bag Mountain in the Soran District,” she added.

Areas in the Kurdistan Region with large numbers of oak trees include Qaradagh, Hawraman, Azmar, Goizha, Halgurd, and Sakran.