Minister Babaev about mass extinction of trees in Baku: “To make some forecasts is difficult”

“To study the problem of extinction of Eldar pines in Baku and other regions of the country, experts from various international organizations were invited. A unified diagnosis of Eldar pine trees, like methods of treatment, were not made.” This was in an interview with the Haqqin.az correspondent on the sidelines of the Baku Energy Week event was stated by the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Mukhtar Babaev.

The minister recalled that the trees are living organisms and are also subject to various diseases, like people.

“New diseases and viruses appear every day. A large number of green spaces that can bring viruses will be brought into the country. These viruses affect the weakened trees. As for specifically Eldar pines, the experts gave several recommendations, the main of which is the uprooting of patients trees and the treatment of nearby territory. This will stop the process of infection of new trees, ”the minister said.

Mukhtar Babaev noted that in parallel, experts are preparing new offers to combat the disease.

“It is difficult to make some forecasts, but if you can treat trees, we will treat,” the minister said.

Speaking about cases of deforestation in the areas, the minister regretfully noted that the illegal cutting of trees is still present. Mukhtar Babaev drew attention to the fact that about a thousand settlements in Azerbaijan are still not gasified.

“Moreover, many of these settlements are located inside the forest. The inhabitants of the villages are not particularly asked how to provide themselves with heat and cut down trees. You can not treat the environment and trees only as the responsibility of the Ministry of Ecology. Of course, this is one of our main directions, but at the same time, every citizen must be responsible for this issue, ”he said.