Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has announced the launch of the “Biodiversity in Kurdistan” project, an initiative led by the Kurdistan Foundation to document the region’s plant and animal life and support efforts to protect its natural environment.
The project aims to record and showcase biodiversity across key areas of the Kurdistan Region, creating a resource for scientific research, education, public awareness and environmental conservation.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Barzani called on residents to contribute information, photographs, suggestions and other documentation to help record Kurdistan’s natural heritage.
He said the initiative would present the region’s diverse plant and animal life to a wider audience and provide scientific support for conservation efforts. He also thanked the project’s organizers, supervisors, advisers and staff, reaffirming the Kurdistan Regional Government’s support.
Barzani stressed that protecting the environment was a shared responsibility involving both the government and the public. He said conservation efforts should go beyond keeping public spaces clean to include protecting trees, water resources, forests and wildlife.
He also highlighted the challenges posed by climate change, saying the region needed to prepare for its effects and strengthen efforts to preserve its natural resources.
According to Barzani, the project’s website, biodiversity.krd, will provide access to research data, scientific resources and photographs through an interactive map. The platform is intended to support researchers, academic institutions, educators and policymakers. It will also credit data sources and image owners and identify gaps in existing knowledge.
Barzani said the project’s goal extends beyond documenting biodiversity to actively protecting native plants and animals. He called on citizens, government institutions and others concerned about the environment to take part in preserving Kurdistan’s natural heritage.
