Eng. M.Z.
The significance of the tree in Islam is evident, as it has been mentioned in the Quran multiple times and on various occasions. In Surah Al-Fath, verse (18), it is stated, "Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest." Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, "There is no Muslim who plants a plant or sows a seed, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats from it, except that it is regarded as a charity."
Tree Day is celebrated in various countries around the world as an environmental event aimed at promoting tree planting, forest protection, and combating the effects of climate change, taking into account the different celebration times from one country to another depending on the climatic and environmental conditions prevailing in the country. The importance of this day has increased from being a symbolic event for planting trees to becoming an effective educational tool that contributes to increasing green cover and enhancing community awareness of the importance of trees, especially in cities experiencing significant urban expansion.
Tree Day provides an opportunity to encourage public and private institutions to implement tree-planting projects in streets, parks, public squares, and even on building rooftops, which contributes to improving the quality of life and air quality, reducing pollution, providing recreational and healthy spaces for citizens, and offering a practical framework for community involvement, including schools, universities, and associations in protecting these green spaces and sustaining them especially in a country like Jordan.
Globally, the priorities for celebrating Tree Day vary from region to region. In the United States and Europe, the focus is on increasing urban green cover and linking afforestation with emission reduction policies, while in China and East Asian countries, extensive national afforestation programs are implemented linked to economic development and desertification control. In Mediterranean countries, the focus is on protecting forests from fires and using local tree and shrub species that are drought-resistant. In Tunisia, a national tree-planting campaign is organized with the participation of various institutions and associations throughout the country to increase the green area, and in Algeria, a national tree-planting day was launched where the people plant and care for trees, especially focusing on involving children and school students in environmental preservation.
Tree planting is one of the most prominent nature-based solutions as it absorbs carbon dioxide and stores it in biomass and soil, reduces energy consumption in cities by lowering temperatures, improves rainwater management, and reduces flooding, thereby decreasing indirect emissions associated with infrastructure. Associating Tree Day with policies for carbon dioxide disposal, air purification, oxygen production, and providing an aesthetic area requires moving from symbolic afforestation to planned afforestation based on data for the intended planting areas and mechanisms for maintaining and sustaining them by planting local tree species highly efficient in carbon absorption and adapted to water scarcity and integrating afforestation within national climate plans and sustainable city strategies.
Like the rest of the world, Jordan celebrates Tree Day on January 15th of each year as a national event aimed at planting trees, enhancing environmental awareness, and protecting the vegetation cover from various intrusions, such as illegal logging, fires, and unregulated grazing. The timing of the celebration in the winter season aligns with the climatic conditions suitable for planting in dry and semi-dry environments, reflecting a scientific alignment with Jordan's environmental reality. In light of complex environmental challenges that include water issues, climate change impacts, and a forest cover rate that does not exceed 1% of the kingdom's area despite the celebration of this day and the planting of vast areas over decades, it is acknowledged that Tree Day in Jordan should not be viewed merely as a celebratory occasion, but as a strategic tool for enhancing environmental and food security.
Efforts are underway to preserve the vegetation cover, including the production of millions of forest seedlings annually by the Ministry of Agriculture and the implementation of afforestation projects in desert areas and along roadsides using treated water and rainwater harvesting, and launching a national project to plant 10 million trees and shrubs over the next ten years in cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, and the Botanical Garden. Forest trees in Ajloun and Dibeen forests play an important role in improving air quality, absorbing carbon dioxide, combating desertification, stabilizing soil, and supporting biodiversity.
Numerous afforestation projects and partnerships in Jordan include community projects such as planting 2000 trees in Kafr Abil in Irbid governorate, in addition to private sector initiatives such as planting hundreds of trees in Ajloun and Dibeen reserves and an initiative by Zain Jordan to plant more than 18,000 trees and institutional and university afforestation activities at several Jordanian universities.
Globally, the success of Tree Day and its sustainable impact are measured by the survival rate of the planted trees in the long term, not just by the number of trees planted and the number of celebrations launched, which requires scientific and practical planning before planting, selecting species adapted to the climate and soil, sustainable water management, targeted education and guidance, and involving the local community in monitoring and care, and protecting forests from fires and intrusions.
In conclusion
Tree Day is an annual opportunity to renew the commitment to afforestation policies, maintain and ensure their sustainability, and move from symbolic planting to a long-term environmental impact. Despite national environmental challenges, there is a need for state and community support for this special day with agricultural climate policies that contribute to increasing the green cover, reducing emissions, and preserving the environment and human health, as the true meaning of celebrating Tree Day today is to make afforestation a permanent pillar of sustainable development rather than just a passing event.
# Supporting Jordanian farmers is a national duty that surpasses all other duties because it is the main arm of food security#
