Masoumeh Ebtekar, head of Iran's Environmental Protection Organization, stated that the organization is "very seriously" pursuing wood imports with the aim of "replacing it with harvests from the country's natural forests." In an interview with the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) published on Saturday, October 4, she mentioned that the "latest meeting" regarding wood imports has recently taken place and announced the continuation of these meetings. The head of the Environmental Protection Organization expressed hope that "soon all necessary grounds for wood imports and their replacement with harvests from natural forests will be established." Most parts of Iran are considered dry and low in rainfall, and forests constitute a small area of the country's land. Meanwhile, repeated fires and excessive logging threaten the little life left in the country's forests. The newspaper Shahrvand previously reported based on estimates by Karim Saei, the founder of scientific forestry in Iran, that the area of forests in northern Iran has "almost halved" in the past 66 years. Masoumeh Ebtekar also announced in August 2014 the formation of a "specialized working group" within the Environmental Protection Organization, which would dedicate a significant part of its activities to the protection of northern forests and the Zagros oak. At the same time, the Secretary of the Supreme Council of Urban Planning and Architecture of Iran stated that due to "land grabbing" around Qeshm Island, part of the mangrove forest has been "permanently destroyed." Pirouz Hanachi told the Mehr News Agency that the "Qeshm Free Zone" must pursue this issue in court.
Iran's Environmental Organization is Pursuing Wood Imports
Masoumeh Ebtekar, head of Iran's Environmental Protection Organization, announced efforts to import wood to replace logging in natural forests. This initiative comes amid ongoing threats to Iran's forests from fires and illegal logging, highlighting the environmental challenges the country faces.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Masoumeh Ebtekar announced that Iran's Environmental Protection Organization is pursuing wood imports to reduce logging in natural forests. This initiative aims to combat environmental degradation caused by illegal logging and forest fires.
- Iran's forests have significantly decreased in size, with northern forests halving over the past 66 years.
- The country faces ongoing threats to its forests from fires and illegal logging activities.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran's forests are under threat from climate change, illegal logging, and urban development, making conservation efforts increasingly urgent.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%