Environment Bureau to lay ground works for raising green spaces in Kobani

Kobani – North-Press Agency

Fattah Issa – Fayyad Muhammed

The Environment Bureau in the Euphrates region (areas including Kobani and Serrin) is working to increase green spaces in the area, through afforestation and the creation of private nurseries for the production of seedlings, as well as the construction and restoration of public parks. The Environment Bureau, which was recently opened by the Authority of Local Administration and Municipalities, oversees the works related to preserving the environment, which include granting licenses to industrial projects to protect the environment from environmental pollution, in addition to planting trees and caring for gardens. Plus, a special nursery has been established to produce seedlings in the city of Kobani, named "Mishtanur Nursery".

In this regard, Samir Ali, the co-head of the Environment Bureau in Euphrates region, explained to North-Press that the Department has prepared "Mishtanur Nursery" that includes plantlets for future in the city and its countryside. Ali indicated the saplings which are being planted in the nursery will be planted on the southern road to the city, known as "Aleppo Road" and the road which connects to car offices area in the village of "Gulmet" and the village of "Helinj" southeast of the city, and in the main roads of the city. He pointed out that the Department oversees the equipping and restoration of four parks in Kobani.

He also stressed that any industrial project or plant that will be opened in Euphrates region, must be granted a license by the Environment Bureau, which will study the project in order to protect the city and its countryside from environmental pollution that may arise from the project.

Agricultural nursery development

In turn, Khunav Mahmoud Ali, an official in Environment Bureau, explained that works on the Mishtanur Agricultural Project started in February 2019, supervised by Women’s Office of the municipality, as seedlings started to be produced in small quantities and specific types included pistachio and almond seedlings. She indicated that care was raised to the nursery after the opening of Environment Bureau, where about 12 thousand cypress and pine seedlings were planted three months ago, in addition to purchasing 20 thousand of cypress trees, palm trees, corals and acacia.

Future projects

Moreover, Khunav Ali added that these seedlings will be planted in gardens, schools, sidewalks, and street pavements in the cities and towns of Euphrates region, including a garden in the village of Qaramug, east of Kobani. And an agricultural reserve will be established on the "Mishtanur Hill", overlooking the city of Kobani. The area of ​​"Mishtanur Nursery" is about 6,600 square meters. The nursery is located in the center of the city of Kobani, where the cadre is composed of women workers and supervisors who plant and care for seedlings and manage the works of the nursery.

Types of trees

For her part, the worker in the agricultural nursery, Adla Issa, has explained that the trees which were planted within the nursery this year include 12 thousand cypress and pine trees, noting that they were placed in plastic houses because of the cold, provided that they will be ready for planting at the beginning of this spring.

It is worth noting that Kobani Organization for Relief and Development (a civil non-governmental organization) implemented a planting project of 170 ornamental trees in the city of Kobani in May 2019, with the support of the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA).