A Mosul environmental and afforestation activist warned of the consequences of losing large areas of Mosul’s forests, which raised widespread concern about their fate, while a parliamentarian considered encroachment on the forests a “red line . ”
Environmental activist Anas Al-Taie told Mosul Time Radio, “We will lose Mosul’s forests, and this is a warning to everyone.” Al-Taie pointed out that there are “dealings being promoted by parties to convert some limited areas overlooking the main street into investment projects.”
He added: “If necessary, we will organize protests to protect forests and all green spaces. We call on the representatives and the local government to support us in stopping these attempts.”
For his part, MP Mohammed Nouri Al-Abd Rabbo stressed that Mosul’s forests are considered “a red line that cannot be touched,” saying: “We will not allow, in any way, the conversion of forests into investment projects that serve narrow interests at the expense of our environment and generations.” Al-Abd Rabbo added: “The promotion of transactions to convert these forests into investments is a crime against nature and our future generations.” He stressed the need for immediate action by the local government and relevant authorities “to stop this environmental disaster before it is too late.”
These statements come amid growing concerns about the neglect and excessive cutting that Mosul’s forests have been subjected to in recent years, as large areas of them have been converted for investment without regard to the environmental impact, threatening the loss of one of the most important natural areas in the country.
