- Title: Once drained by Saddam Hussein, Iraq's marshlands attract tourists and scientists
- Date: 15th May 2017
- Summary: CHIBAYISH MARSHES, THI QAR PROVINCE, IRAQ (RECENT) (REUTERS) (MUTE) DRONE FOOTAGE OF WETLANDS DRONE FOOTAGE OF SLENDER BOATS SAILING IN WETLANDS DRONE FOOTAGE OF WOODEN BOATS ON SHORE AND OTHERS SAILING IN MARSHES BOATS SAILING TOWARDS SHORE WITH MOSQUE IN THE BACKGROUND CHIBAYISH MARSHES, THI QAR PROVINCE, IRAQ (RECENT) (REUTERS) GROUP OF IRAQI REACHERS AND VISITORS NEAR BOATS AT MARSHLANDS GROUP OF RESEARCHERS AND VISITORS SITTING IN BOATS PREPARING TO SAIL BOAT IN WATER WITH OTHERS ON SHORE WAITING TO SAIL BOATS SAILING IN MARSHES GROUP OF IRAQI RESEARCHERS IN BOAT SAILING MARSHES GROUP OF VISITORS IN BOAT SAILING IN WATER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TECHNICAL DIRECTOR OF IRAQ GREEN CLIMATE ORGANISATION, OMAR FADHIM ABDUL RAHMAN, SAYING: "In cooperation with Chibayish Organisation for Environmental Tourism, the Iraqi Green Climate Organisation organised a recreational and scientific visit to help acquaint people with the two main aspects of the Iraqi marshes, namely the biological and anthropological aspects, which represent the ecological system and its archaeological and cultural heritage. These two aspects are the most important features that qualified Iraq's marshlands to enter the UNESCO World Heritage list. The main objective of the tour is to attract more people to Iraqi wetlands and put them in direct contact with the life of marsh Arabs in addition to taking them to the cultural heritage sites." TOURISTS AND RESEARCHERS IN AND NEAR BOATS IRAQI FAMILY IN BOAT SAILING IN WATER VARIOUS OF VISITORS PLAYING WITH BALL IN THE WATER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BAGHDAD UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ASSISTANT UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR ISSAM AL-KHILIFAWI, SAYING: "We took part in the tour to the marshes to collect samples for our study and research the effectiveness of pollen grains from reed plants in helping heal wounds. International research and research of ancient Egypt and Babylon civilizations have indicated that the pollen grains from reeds were used in healing wounds." VARIOUS OF RESEARCHERS AND VISITORS SAILING IN MARSHES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BIOLOGIST, YASSMINE JUMA KADHIM, BAGHDAD UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, SAYING: "I came today for two main purposes, recreational and scientific. I am working on a research paper, which I am planning to publish in an American magazine when I finish, on the importance of the marshes in general. I want to introduce the marshlands to people and give them an idea of the people and marsh plants and animals. The tour was very, very enjoyable and honestly I say that although I am a citizen of this country, I have learned many things that I did not know about the area." VARIOUS OF BOAT SAILING BETWEEN PARTED REEDS WATER BUFFALO AND BOATS IN WATER BOAT CARRYING BUNDLES OF REEDS SAILING IN WATER, WITH WATER BUFFALO IN FOREGROUND DUCKS SWIMMING ON MARSHES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CHAIRMAN OF CHIBAYISH ORGANISATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TOURISM, RAAD HABIB, SAYING: "We registered 15,000 tourists to the area at the start of spring. These figures indicate the need for plans to provide recreational facilities for people who visit the wetlands. For our part as a civil society organization, we urge concerned parties to encourage international companies and European countries to invest in the area." VARIOUS OF BOATS SAILING IN MARSHES VARIOUS OF BOATS SAILING IN WATERS OF MARSHES CARRYING TOURISTS
- Embargoed: 29th May 2017 12:18
- Keywords: Iraq Arabs marsh tourism science UNESCO environment
- Location: CHIBAYISH MARSHES, THI QAR PROVINCE, IRAQ
- City: CHIBAYISH MARSHES, THI QAR PROVINCE, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Environment,Nature/Wildlife
- Reuters ID: LVA0016GY8NRP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The marshlands of south-eastern Iraq, which had suffered deliberate destruction during Saddam Hussein's rule and survived years of war, have become a haven for both tourists and scientists.
The wetland, thought to be the site of the biblical Garden of Eden, was almost completely drained by the former dictator but became a UNESCO world heritage site last year.
Now, narrow wooden boats with outboard motors ferry visitors through the unique environment.
"The main objective of the tour is to attract more people to Iraqi wetlands and put them in direct contact with the life of marsh Arabs in addition to taking them to the cultural heritage sites," said Omar Abdul Rahman of the Iraqi Green Climate Organisation which helped organise a visit by scientists.
Fed by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the marshlands are spawning grounds for Gulf fisheries and home to bird species such as the sacred ibis.
They also provide a resting spot for thousands of wildfowl migrating between Siberia and Africa.
The tour groups were welcomed by a group of Iraqi researchers from the University of Baghdad, researching the types of reed plants and their medicinal uses.
The researchers were collecting pollen grains of reeds, a yellow powder, to make a solution and study its effectiveness in treating bacterial infections.
"We took part in the tour to the marshes to collect samples for our study and research on the effectiveness of pollen grains of the reed plants in enhancing wound healing. International researches and researches in ancient Egypt and Babylon civilizations have indicated that the pollen grains of reed were used in healing wounds," said Issam al-Khilifawi, Assistant Professor at the Education College of Ibn al-Haytham at Baghdad University.
Biologist Yassmine Juma Kadhim said the tour has helped enrich her scientific knowledge of the area.
"I came today for two main purposes, recreational and scientific. I am working on a research paper, which I am planning to publish in an American magazine when I finish, on the importance of the marshes in general. I want to introduce the marshlands to people and give them an idea of the people and marsh plants and animals. The tour was very, very enjoyable and honestly I say that although I am a citizen of this country, I have learned many things that I did not know about the area," said biologist Kadhim, a graduate of the Education College, Department of Pure Science, University of Baghdad.
Co-organising body of the tours, The Chibayish Organisation for Environmental Tourism, said the area had attracted thousands of Arab and foreign tourists in addition to Iraqis, urging the government and other parties to encourage foreign investment in the area.
"We registered 15,000 tourists to the area with the start of spring. These figures indicate the need for plans to provide recreational facilities for the people who visit the wetlands. For our part as a civil society organisation we urge concerned parties to encourage international companies and European countries to invest in the area," said Raad Habib, head of the organisation.
Habib said the area lacks rest and recreation facilities including hotels and restaurants and urged the government to pay more attention to the area and to encourage tourism.
The marshes, which covered 9,000 square kilometres (3,500 square miles) in the 1970s, had shrunk to just 760 square km by 2002 before regaining some 40 percent of the original area by 2005.
Iraq has said it aims to recover a total of 6,000 square km.
Vast, remote and bordering Iran, the marshes have been used in recent years for drugs and arms smuggling, receiving stolen goods and keeping hostages for ransom.
The Marsh Arabs have lived in the wetlands for millennia, but are on the fringes of Iraqi society. A study put their population at 400,000 in the 1950's but several hundred thousands fled Saddam's repression or became economic migrants. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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