Disability Community Launches Tree-Planting Campaign in Herat to Combat Dust Storms
As the tree-planting season approaches in Herat province, a group of people with disabilities has launched an environmental campaign to plant 10,000 saplings in the western parts of the province. The organizers say the main goal is to reduce dust and the health consequences caused by the strong seasonal winds.
The so-called 120-day winds, which blow every summer in Herat, are among the serious environmental problems in the province. These winds carry large amounts of dust from desert areas into the city, leading to increased air pollution and respiratory problems for residents.
Alongside this campaign, tree-planting efforts have also begun in other parts of Herat. In recent days, farmers and residents of the Enjil district, located south and west of Herat city, have planted thousands of saplings in villages and around agricultural lands, and this process is expected to continue.
Ghulam Habib Hashemi, head of the Herat Agricultural Water Users Association, noted the arrival of spring and said that people and farmers are ready for tree planting. He added that protecting the environment and planting trees is a religious and social responsibility for everyone.
Several other Herat residents also emphasize that neglecting tree planting threatens the future of the environment and children’s health. In their view, expanding green spaces can play an important role in reducing air pollution and improving the quality of life in the province.
Environmental experts say that with the disappearance of the green belt in northern Herat, planting trees in other areas of the province is one of the effective solutions to combat air pollution and dust caused by the 120-day winds.
