Desk Study on the Environment in Iraq Desk Study on the ... - UNEP

3
H. PARTOW-UNEP/GRID-GENEVA
Burnt date palms show the devastating footpr
ootprint of war
ar. Large tracts of forest along the Shatt al-Arab
ab
were levelled elled during the Iran-Ir
an-Iraq aq war to reduce potential cover for attacking forces
orces.
There does not appear to be any readily available data concerning risks to Iraq’s natural forest
cover, though the combination of conflict and sanctions will have increased pressure on forest
resources and there is a need for an up-to-date assessment.
During the 1980s and 1990s, 80% of the 17-18 million date palms lining the Shatt al-Arab
estuary – once the largest area of date palms in the world and yielding an economically important
crop – was destroyed, particularly as a consequence of damage during the Iran-Iraq war,
but also due to increased water salinity in the estuary because of upstream dam and irrigation
schemes. The remaining, weakened palms have been susceptible to pest infestations, further
degrading the quality of the forest. 43
3.6 Biodiversity
Main problems:
• lack of institutional or legal framework for conservation of biodiversity;
• lack of any effective protected areas network;
• lack of a national biodiversity strategy, or action plan;
• many species under threat from ecosystem degradation, especially loss of the Mesopotamian
Marshes.
• Protected areas
The UNEP-WCMC Protected Areas Virtual Database lists just eight small protected areas (none
bigger that 110 ha) in Iraq. 44 None of these qualifies for inclusion in the official UN List of
Protected Areas maintained by UNEP-WCMC, which only covers sites larger than 1,000 ha.
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<strong>Desk</strong> <strong>Study</strong>