Conversion of Forest Lands and Transfer of Ownership of Forests is Prohibited ‏

The fourteenth session of Sustainable Management of Hycanian Forest Working Group was held with the agenda of the Buxus Rescue Plan in northern forests presided over by Mr. Khalil Aghaee, Deputy Minister and Head of Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization (FRWO) on Wednesday.

In this meeting, Mr. Khalil Aghaee, Deputy Minister and Head of Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization (FRWO) urged that any conversion of forest lands and transfer  of ownership of forests is prohibited by law and this is an unequivocal principle in FRWO.

‏According to FRWO’s website, Khalil Aghaee, after hearing the report of the northern forests management studies plan, emphasized that any conversion of forest lands and transfer of ownership of forests is prohibited by law. He added that the industrial units should be established in such a way that do not affect the forest ecosystem and this is an unequivocal principle in FRWO.

He added: “The reality is that man must coexist with biosphere and natural ecosystem elements in order to achieve a balance in the nature. Therefore, under no circumstances we cannot ignore and sacrifice the interests of present and future generations for the immediate profits of a specific group and destruct our forests and rangelands.”

In another part of this meeting, a progress report on Boxwood rescue plan was presented that was welcomed by the audience. Head of FRWO also thanked the imitative and said: “there is a promising environment for rescue of “rescuing Boxwood, however there is still room for work and we must continue with unabated sensitivity and seriousness”.

“Given the importance of time management for working in nature, all measures must be pursued and executed with the utmost speed and accuracy,” he concluded.