Community outraged by before-and-after photos of concerning project: 'It's actually worse than this'

For urban dwellers, trees can provide numerous health and environmental benefits, along with just beautifying their city. However, urbanization has led to a decrease in urban green spaces, as one Redditor pointed out in Baghdad, Iraq.

The Redditor shared a side-by-side look in the subreddit r/UrbanHell at the Baghdad Forest that shows how urbanization has changed the landscape. 

"Baghdad ( iraq ) forest is destroyed and sold to be turned into concrete jungle," the title read.

The before image shows an aerial view of a green space with grass spaces, plenty of trees, and roadways that follow the land. The after photo shows a satellite image of the same space with virtually no green visible.

"Located in the Al-Taji area north of Baghdad, it's one of Baghdad's best and last remaining green areas that benefits the environment and [citizens] of Baghdad," OP wrote. "It has unfortunately been neglected and abandoned for a long time. It used to even [contain] a lake."

Due to negligence, the Baghdad Municipality sold it to an investment company to "build an expansive residential complex."

Forests cover just under 2% of all of Iraq's land, with more than half of Baghdad's green spaces disappearing since 2023. Real estate booms across the country have led to many green areas being repurposed for residential and urban use.

Urban green spaces, like the Baghdad Forest, are vital not only for environmental health but also for human health. Greenery can lower intense temperatures and absorb pollution. It can also help improve mental health by lowering stress, according to studies. Urban green spaces are even shown to bolster community and lower crime rates.

"Research shows really clearly that we need nature in our surroundings," said Dr. Cecil Konijnendijk, professor of Urban Forestry at the University of British Columbia. "We need trees in our streets, plants in our gardens and flowers on our balcony. We need nature as our neighbour all the time."

Scientists are exploring ways to incorporate more greenery into urban infrastructure, such as green roofs, which can remove microplastics from rainwater. There are also important AI systems that can better track urban trees and green spaces for better implementation and conservation. In Iraq, the Baghdad Sustainable Forest project aims to turn a former military site into a 10-million-square-foot ecological utopia with over one million trees.

"This landmark initiative carries a message of hope for all Iraqis, marking a new chapter in the capital's history by transforming neglected, waste-burdened land into a thriving oasis and a genuine opportunity for growth and innovation," said contracting company Emkanat's CEO, Fadi Shoughri.

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Commenters shared their disappointment with the urbanization of the space and others around the world.

"It is happening all around where I live," one person wrote. "Subdivisions with houses all packed together - not much yard work for the residents."

"Destroying a forest in a desert is about as stupid as you can [get]," one commenter wrote. 

"It's actually worse than this," OP wrote back. "It wasn't even a forest in a desert, the desert didn't exist until recently, a good chunk of Baghdad and all its surrounding area was full of vegetation cover. However at some point in the 90s the government started destroying surrounding orchards and gardens around the City."

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