Sabor Noori, a resident of Badakhshan, says that deforestation has surged in recent months, causing severe floods, soil erosion, and spreading desert-like conditions in parts of the province. He added, “Areas that used to be green and full of forests—which also helped keep floods in check, or as we Badakhshanis call it, reduced the ‘rocky water’—have sadly been destroyed. Beautiful plains and meadows are now turned into rocky, unusable land, and this makes floods even more damaging for the people.”
Jawid Amini, a resident of Badakhshan, says some people are cutting down forests to get access to mineral resources illegally. He explains that this has caused widespread damage to the forests and could create serious problems for people living nearby over time. He added, “As winter comes, many families are struggling financially and cut down trees—which make the area green and beautiful—to meet their winter needs. Some even cut the trees and sell the wood to earn money.”
Abdul Rahman, another resident of Badakhshan, told Salam Watandar that flood damage has gotten worse in the province recently. He sees widespread deforestation as a major reason and says the loss of forests has caused huge financial and human losses. He added that, for example, recreational areas in Badakhshan—once popular for picnics and known for their greenery—have been destroyed by mining activities and now resemble deserts, making it hard to believe they were ever places for leisure.
Aziz Mohammadi, a natural resources expert, told Salam Watandar that deforestation has serious effects on the environment. He explained that cutting down forests causes global warming, more floods, soil erosion, higher earthquake risks, less oxygen, and the loss of untouched natural areas. “When forests are destroyed, the air can’t be properly cleaned, and there isn’t enough fresh oxygen to breathe. This can lead to more heart problems, cancer, and other health issues. Badakhshan, which used to be a green and lush province, has now become a dry area. If this keeps up, it won’t be known as a green province anymore,” he added.
Rohullah Noori, Head of Natural Resources at the Badakhshan Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, says that with winter approaching, some people are forced to cut trees to meet their heating and fuel needs. He added that, on top of this, unregulated mining has also led to widespread forest destruction. He explained that reports indicate high levels of deforestation in the districts of Shahr-e Bozorg, Kran, and Manjan, as well as in Arghanjkhwah, which is located along the Baharak–Faizabad road. He added that although the Department of Agriculture does not have direct executive authority in this sector, it issues official letters and announcements to inform the people that forests should not be destroyed or cut down.
It’s worth mentioning that, despite repeated attempts to get a comment from the spokesperson of the Badakhshan Police Command, he had not responded to our calls or messages by the time this report was published. Badakhshan is known as one of the country’s greenest provinces. However, in recent years, the sharp rise in deforestation has caused serious worries among residents and experts—concerns that, if ignored, could have lasting effects on both the environment and the lives of the people in the province.
