Khaberni - Mr. Khaled Al-Qudah, Assistant Secretary-General for Forests and Rangelands at the Ministry of Agriculture, confirmed that the governorates of Jerash and Ajloun record the highest rates of forest attacks, pointing out that the forest staff in the ministry exceeds 600 individuals including gatekeepers, rangers, and engineers.
Al-Qudah clarified during his talk on Hayat FM that the number of forestry rangers does not match the vast areas of forests, which poses a challenge in monitoring, noting the presence of regular patrols to monitor the entry and exit movements in forest areas.
He explained that there is joint cooperation with the Royal Administration for Environmental Protection through joint operation rooms, where drones are operated in hotspots, in addition to installing surveillance cameras at some sites.
He mentioned that the attacks vary between traders who operate secretly and sell quantities to citizens or other traders, in addition to individual attacks by some citizens.
Regarding afforestation, Al-Qudah stated that the ministry launched a plan to plant 10 million trees over 10 years, with two seasons completed and currently working on the third season. He also announced the launch of an afforestation campaign today in cooperation with the Ministry of Local Administration and the Ministry of Youth at the Ruseifa National Park, where more than 6,000 trees will be planted at the site.
He added that the nurseries of the Ministry of Agriculture distribute about one million trees annually, aiming to enhance environmental immunity and increase the density of green cover in various regions of the kingdom.
