Forestry in Syria’s Raqqa declines to 40%
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – Recently, vegetation has witnessed a remarkable decline leading to the formation of semi-desert areas in Raqqa, head of the Environment Office of the Committee of Local Administration and Municipalities of the Civil Council in Raqqq, Eng. Muhammad Nour al-Ibrahim, said on Tuesday.
The number of forestry in the western countryside of Raqqa has declined causing the degradation of the vegetation cover.
The forestry in Raqqa has declined to less than 40% since the eruption of the Syrian war, al-Ibrahim said.
The fuel crisis and usage of trees as alternatives to electricity, heating and cooking since the beginning of the Syrian war have been reasons after the decline, according to al-Ibrahim.
“Overgrazing, which lacked monitoring and attention, has also negatively affected the forestry,” he added.
He pointed out that the decline in the level of the Euphrates River due to Turkish successive cutoff and inadequate watering in addition to the lack of rainfalls have greatly affected vegetation cover.
For months, the Turkish state continues to cut off the water of the Euphrates River by blocking water in several dams established along the river course within its territories, thus depriving northeastern Syria of its share of water disregarding all international agreements signed in this regard, according to Energy and Communications Office of the Jazira region.
Additionally, lack of awareness among residents of the importance of forestry and not knowing the future impacts on the environment “contributes to the reduction of vegetation cover, which prompted us to distribute brochures and hold symposiums on the importance of preserving trees,” the engineer noted.
There is an action plan to support the vegetation cover by preparing 10,000 plants of pine, eucalyptus and cypress trees to be planted after they are ready, in coordination with the municipalities, he indicated.
Currently, the Environment Office, in coordination with the people’s municipality in Raqqa Civil Council are planting different trees in the city and its villages to make up the shortfall.