Ajloun, March 22 (Petra)-- Environmental and tourism experts in Ajloun Governorate have stressed the need to intensify efforts to raise public awareness about the importance of preserving forests and biodiversity, amid growing environmental challenges threatening natural resources.
They emphasized the importance of unified action by official institutions and local communities to safeguard Ajloun’s rich natural heritage, which is a defining feature of the governorate.
Marking the International Day of Forests, observed annually on March 21, the experts said the occasion provides an important opportunity to highlight ongoing national efforts to protect forests, promote environmental sustainability, and address the decline in biodiversity particularly in light of climate change and increasing human pressures.
Chairman of the Ajloun Governorate Council Committee, Muawiya Annab, said that protecting forests and biodiversity is a collective responsibility that requires sustained awareness campaigns, stronger legislation, and enhanced partnerships among stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of natural resources for future generations.
Director of Agriculture in Ajloun, Seitan Sarhan, described the governorate’s forests as a national, environmental, and tourism asset. He underlined the need to implement educational and outreach programs targeting all segments of society, tighten monitoring to prevent violations against forests, and rehabilitate damaged areas.
For his part, Director of the Ajloun Forest Reserve, Uday Al-Qudah, said the reserve represents a key model in biodiversity conservation through protection programs and ecosystem restoration efforts. He stressed the importance of engaging local communities to ensure the long-term sustainability of these initiatives.
Mahmoud Wafiq Freihat, a member of the Higher Advisory and Steering Committee of the Jordan Environment Society, noted that environmental challenges foremost among them climate change have contributed to biodiversity loss. He highlighted forests as vital natural solutions that help mitigate these impacts by absorbing carbon dioxide, producing oxygen, protecting soil, and regulating the water cycle.
//Petra// MF Head of the Ajloun Farmers Union, lawyer Muneeb Al-Samadi, called for adopting sustainable agricultural practices that protect vegetation cover, urging greater support and awareness for farmers on environmentally friendly modern farming techniques.
Meanwhile, Bayan Bani Nasr, a member of the "Our Tourism is the Title of Our Wealth and Home" initiative, stressed the importance of raising awareness especially among youth about the role of forests in maintaining ecological balance, and called for volunteer initiatives to help protect forests and reduce harmful behaviors.
