Syrian Natural Reserves Wait for Exploration

DAMASCUS, (ST), Director of Forestry at the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Jamal Akkash, said that forests in Syria have economic, environmental, cultural and tourist value. This diversity has motivated the ministry to exert great efforts to protect the ecosystem in all its components of plants, animals and inter relationships between them.

“The area of natural forests in Syria is estimated at 230,000 hectares and the area of artificialafforestation is amounted to 236,000 hectares. Efforts were exerted by the ministry to increase the area of forestry through afforestation and its positive impact on the environment and the national economy,” Akkash told SANA yesterday

“The administrative plan for the natural reserve based on the state of the reserve and its conditions and characteristics that can be invested according to multiple activities such as environmental tourism at Al farlaq reserve in Lattakia,  studies and researches at Al Arz and al Shouh reserve in Slenfah  and Jabal Abdul Aziz reserve in al Hasaka through reviving the plant and pastoral covering to be invested in animal husbandry,” Akkash pointed out.

Abu Qubeis reserve in Hama is of great importance because it contains medicinal and aromatic plants, especially in the area of al Joubat whereas this environment helps to create investment opportunities for the production of medicinal and aromatic plants such as Wild Thyme,  Khetmiya, Alzofah and Rosemary, naturally free of fertilizers and pesticides, Akkash added.

He pointed out that timber can be invested in some forest areas in many industries especially simple household furniture and wood used in the construction and reconstruction process as well as the production of coal from these outputs.

Hanadi Zorqeh, a researcher, referred to the importance of reserves from a historical perspective and their spread in Syria and many countries of the world and international conventions for the protection and preservation of these reserves..

“Creating a natural reserve requires certain conditions in terms of the availability of a unique ecosystem including groups of rare animals that live in rainy forests and the presence of species of rare plants and animals and meet the needs of scientists and researchers that help them in scientific research in addition to the diversity of land,” she clarified.

Sh/Kh