Iraq Marshes
Azzam Alwash used to accompany his father, a government water engineer, on trips into the marshes, trips which infused him with a love of this "magical waterworld". After the fall of Saddam Hussein, Azzam returned to Iraq to help restore the marshes. To that end he established Nature Iraq, an organisation dedicated to the protection and restoration of Iraq's natural heritage.
It's the largest and most ambitious habitat recreation project ever known: to bring back to life one of the world's greatest marshlands. And it's happening in Iraq.
Considered to be the original Garden of Eden, the marshes were once Iraq's wildlife jewel, where man and nature thrived for 5,000 years. But in the 1990s, Saddam Hussein drained these gigantic wetlands and turned them into a desert, destroying a home to thousands of people and millions of birds
Encourage environmental awareness and stewardship of Iraq’s environment by promoting community-based environmental centers and clubs, developing environmental education programs in Iraq, and maintaining global awareness of Iraq’s environment.
Promote the sustainable use of Iraq’s environment and resources, respect and balance the traditional use of the environment by indigenous inhabitants, preserve wildlife and biodiversity, and address the economic needs of both local inhabitants and the nation.
United Nations Environment Programme environment for development
