Dalani residents plant trees, flowers to green their Khurmal neighborhood

HALABJA— Streets and houses in Khurmal city’s Dalani neighborhood, Halabja governorate, are lined with trees, flowers and other plants as residents have turned the courtyards and spaces outside their homes into green areas, with some families maintaining and expanding the vegetation for more than 15 years.

Shukriya Mohammed, a resident of the neighborhood, told 964media she was the first person on her street to begin planting in front of her home. She started during the heat of July despite some neighbors initially considering the effort pointless.

“I was the first person to start greening the area in front of my house. At the time, some people thought it was useless because it was July, but I continued,” Mohammed said. “After me, other households started greening the neighborhood. Now our neighborhood is the nicest and most pleasant neighborhood in Khurmal,” she added.

Mohammed said other residents later followed her example, planting outside their own homes. Some have since developed areas that are greener than hers. When some flowers or trees turn yellow, residents replace them or add new plants.

Ali Hamakarim, another neighborhood resident, said many people living in this neighborhood are originally from the Hawraman area and attributed their interest in planting to their connection with greenery and gardening.

“Most of the residents of these streets are from Hawraman area. We have always loved greenery, a clean environment and mountains,” Hamakarim told 964media.

He said many people from Hawraman previously worked in gardening and have continued planting after moving to the city to leave their mark on the environment of the place.

Residents grow different types of trees, including fruit-bearing and non-fruit-bearing varieties. He said homeowners and other neighborhood residents benefit from the fruit produced by the trees, including mulberry and orange trees.

Some households have been adding greenery to the neighborhood for more than 15 years, according to Hamakarim. He said residents plant trees both for their appearance and to contribute to cleaner air.